Traitor
by imagination-running
Summary: Major RTTE season 5 spoilers. When Hiccup receives a request from Johann to meet him a couple of hours from Dragon's Edge to pick up a package, things do not go as anyone expects. High T/Low M rating for violence and some gore, not sex or language. See A/N for more details. 4-parts
1. Chapter 1

Traitor

A/N: SPOILERS! SPOILERS! SPOILERS! MAJOR SPOILERS FOR SEASON 5! You have been warned. I am giving this a high T/low M rating for gore and violence. None of the high rating is due to language or sexual situations. (Though, there is a reference to our favorite couple heavily making out "off screen.") There is some mild torture in a few parts and implications of more. Trigger warnings for panic attacks, gruesome imagery, and nightmares. One section I have marked off as being M-rated for the reasons listed above. You can read it or just read the author's note preceding it for a summary. I repeat, you have been warned. However, I have sprinkled in some father/son stuff, some Hiccup/Gobber bonding, some Dragon Rider team support and solidarity, and, of course, some Hiccstrid fluff and support and all that goodness. It's long. So very long that I had to divide into a four parts. However, it is completely written and will not be abandoned. I do hope you enjoy it, though. Thanks for reading.

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Hiccup flailed his arms in exasperation. "Astrid, I'll be back by dinner. It's just two hours there, whatever amount of time it takes to get the package and away from Johann, and two hours back. There's nothing but ocean between here and there. No islands for the Dragon Fliers to be lying in wait for me, and I'm pretty sure I can handle Johann, on the off chance he has developed a new personality and tries to kidnap me or something."

Astrid crossed her arms and glared at him. "I don't like it. There's something fishy going on here. My instincts say so. We don't even know if this terror mail is from Johann!"

Hiccup sighed and rolled his eyes. "I've been helping my dad settle accounts with the traders since I was nine years old. I know the man's handwriting. This is from Johann. No one else in the Archipelago has that much flourish in their penmanship, except for when Snotlout is practicing his calligraphy or when Tuffnut is trying to copy Snotlout's calligraphy, but even they can't compete with the precision of Johann. His handwriting is as flamboyant as his stories."

Astrid's jaw dropped, and she blinked in confusion. "Wha-Why does Snotlout practice calligraphy?"

Hiccup shook his head and threw his hands into the air. "I don't know. Aunt Gerta has some crazy idea that since I'm left-handed my penmanship is terrible and that I'm going to need someone to write my correspondence when I become chief. I guess she thinks Snotlout is the right person for the job, but that's not the point."

"And why wouldn't your WIFE be right one for the job?" A look of fierce jealousy stole across her face.

A flash of heat rushed through Hiccup's body and settled somewhere deep in his gut. There was something intoxicatingly attractive about her jealously guarding her place in his life. A part of him that he would rather not mention wanted very much for him to end this discussion by using his mouth in a far more physical way than verbal way, but instead, he threw his head back and sighed at the ceiling, wordlessly asking the gods of Asgard for patience (and a slowdown on the hormone rush). "Of course, my wife would be the right person for the job, but my penmanship is fine so it's a moot point. What isn't a moot point, is that I need to go get that package that my dad sent, so I'm going to find Toothless and get going because I'd like to be back in time for a hot meal tonight."

"But that's what doesn't make sense! Hiccup, since when would your dad have Johann deliver a package to you here at the Edge?"

"Since when did a Viking hop on the back of a dragon and ride it? Only since five years ago. There's a first time for everything." Hiccup walked over to his girlfriend and took her hands in his own, squeezing them lightly. "I'll be fine. I promise," he finished gently.

She cast her gaze towards the floor beside them, something Hiccup knew she did when she was conflicted but about to give in to him. "I know I sound paranoid, but something just doesn't seem right about this. Just let me or someone go with you, please."

"Astrid," Hiccup sighed. "I need everyone to stay here. The Fireworm migration is due today or tomorrow, and we don't need any more fires here if we can help it. I wouldn't even leave if I could get away with it, but you read the note. Johann promised my dad he would get this package to me, but he got caught in a storm that damaged his ship. He's already behind on his route, and by the time he gets the ship repaired, he won't be able to spare the time to come this far off his course just to drop off the package. He can't afford it, even with my dad giving him a pass on tariffs on his next stop at Berk."

Astrid threw her arms around his middle, and Hiccup returned the hug. He couldn't understand why she was so adamantly against this quick trip, but he would never deny her comfort if he could give it. "Just promise me you'll turn around and come straight home if anything – ANYTHING – seems off when you get there. I don't know what it is, but I just don't like this. I need you, Hiccup," she whispered as she pressed her cheek to his chest.

Hiccup pulled her tighter and kissed the top of her head. "I promise I'll be careful, and if I'm not back by the sunrise, you're free to organize a search party for my sorry butt. But I promise I'll be back, even before Rooster calls the chicks in to roost." He pulled back a bit and smirked at her, trying to dispel some of the anxiety in the air. She gave him a weak smile, and he gave her a firm, real kiss. "Keep them in line, milady," he whispered. Then he swept away from the clubhouse, calling for Toothless before she could object again.

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Hiccup took in the scene below him. There was Johann and his ship, anchored as close to the natural harbor of the deserted island as the trader could get it. From his vantage point, however, Hiccup couldn't spot what was wrong with the ship. Astrid's warning reverberated through his head, but he pushed it away. He had known Johann since he was eight years old and the man had started trading with Berk. Johann had done plenty of favors for his dad, Hiccup himself, and other members of Berk and the surrounding islands over the years, and in turn, the various tribes and individuals of the Archipelago were always willing to go the extra mile for the imaginative trader, whether it was housing him for a night, feeding him an extra meal, or even rescuing him from freezing to death in the middle of a frozen sea. In short, Hiccup trusted Johann, and if Johann said the ship was damaged, Hiccup just assumed it was to something he couldn't see from the sky, such as the rudder, steering mechanism, or maybe a cracked mast or leak or something else entirely.

Johann waved from the deck of the ship and pointed to a bare area near the stern. Hiccup directed Toothless towards the spot. "Take us down, bud, but be gentle. We don't want to cause more damage."

Toothless warbled a response and drifted towards the deck in a wide corkscrew flying pattern. They landed as gently on the deck as a 700 pound dragon could manage, and Hiccup climbed off the saddle.

"Master Hiccup! I'm so glad you received my message," Johann called as he walked over to the Rider.

Hiccup straightened his riding vest, patted Toothless on the head, and greeted Johann with a handshake. "Yes, I left as soon as I could after the terror showed up this morning. What is that you have for me?"

The trader clapped his hands together. "Ah, yes, the package from your father." He began to walk to the trapdoor to the hold below deck, and Hiccup followed. "He was quite adamant that I get it to you. He said it wasn't urgent enough to warrant a special trip by dragon, but since I would be passing your direction, he did wish for you to have it sooner rather than later. It's right down here, if you please."

"Do you know what it is or what it's about?" Hiccup asked as he climbed the ladder into the shadowed hold.

"Something to do with your recent betrothal to Miss Astrid, I believe, but I can't be certain. It's just back this way in the corner." Johann continued further into the darkened corner of the hold.

Hiccup followed, his metal foot catching on a knothole in a board. He was barely able to catch himself before crashing onto the floor. "Uh, do you happen to have a torch, Johann? I can't hardly see a thing."

Johann steadied Hiccup with a hand on his shoulder. "Ah, sorry, Master Hiccup, I'm afraid I do quite forget sometimes that not everyone is as familiar with my vessel as I myself am. I don't have a torch handy, but I know exactly where the package is, just four more steps further and no more knotholes, I promise."

Hiccup squinted into the darkness. The room seemed more packed with items than normal, but maybe this was simply the way it looked at this point in Johann's trade season. "So what was the damage from to the ship from the storm? I may be able to help you repair it."

Johann was rummaging in the darkest corner, just a couple of feet from Hiccup. "Ah, the damage?" he called loudly, apparently unable to hear as well with his head stuck in a large crate.

"Yeah, you said your ship was damaged," Hiccup answered, louder than before.

Before Johann could answer, however, Toothless roared in anger and pain. Hiccup turned to run back to the deck. "Tooth-″

A heavy weight slammed into the back of Hiccup's head, cutting off his yell. He fell to the floor, spots dancing before his eyes. The room spun, and he tried to work out what had just happened. He blinked and shook his head, but before he could get his bearings, a swift punch to his gut had him balled-up, lying on the floor, gasping for air. He opened his eyes to be greeted by the sight of two men peering down at him. "Didn't I tell you that capturing this runt would be simple? And now that we have him, defeating Berk will be all too easy."

Hiccup blinked, again. His bludgeoned brain struggling to make sense of words he was hearing paired with the sight he was seeing. It was Johann, trader Johann, whom he had known for twelve years speaking, and of all people for him to be speaking to…

"Yes, Johann, I do believe you are right. With Hiccup Haddock in our clutches, Stoick and the Dragon Riders will pose no real threat. They won't wish to risk hurting their precious 'Dragon Master.'" Viggo's scarred face stared down at Hiccup. The sneer he wore froze Hiccup's bones.

Johann squatted down beside Hiccup. His usually open, cheerful face was a cold mask of hatred and disgust. "One last thing 'Master Hiccup,'" he spat. "I do have a special package for you." With that he uncorked a small bottle. Hiccup tried to bat the man away, but he was still too dazed to accomplish much, and immediately found himself restrained by a hunter guard anyhow. Johann squeezed Hiccup's nose shut, and while Hiccup tried to keep his mouth closed and jerk his head away from his captors' hands, he eventually could nothing to stop his body from taking a gasp of air. Johann didn't miss his chance, and forced the contents of the jar down Hiccup's throat, roughly closing his mouth and pinching his nose harder, giving Hiccup no choice except to swallow the foul concoction. "There, that will make you a much more pleasant passenger on our little voyage." He stood and waved a hand at the guard. "Take him to his cell. Restrain him well, and remove his leg. Come, Viggo. We need to check that Krogan has taken care of the night fury."

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Astrid paced the Clubhouse floor. A plate of food sat in Hiccup's usual spot around the fire pit. A cloth covered it to keep the flies from buzzing around it. The sun had long since sunk below the horizon. Tuffnut's chicken family had all gone to roost long ago, yet Hiccup had yet to return from his "quick trip."

"I don't like it," she exclaimed for about the tenth time that night.

Snotlout, who was reclined against Hookfang across the room, grunted. "Ugh…Here she goes again."

"Astrid, don't get yourself too worked up. You know how Hiccup is," Fishlegs soothed.

Astrid rounded on him. "What do you mean, 'how Hiccup is?'" she demanded. Fishlegs backed away wide-eyed and cringing.

"That he's easily distracted," Ruffnut shouted.

"Got a short attention span," Tuffnut added.

"Geeks out over everything," Ruff continued.

"Doesn't keep track of time," Tuff commented.

"Ugh! Okay! Fine!" Astrid yelled. "He gets sidetracked…some, but something still isn't right here. I know it. This whole thing has seemed strange from the start, and I just don't like it."

Snotlout stood up and crossed his arms. "Yes, we know. Astrid Hofferson doesn't like for her skinny, one-legged boyfriend to be out of her sight for more than an hour at a time. She must know exactly where he is and what he's doing at all times because she's a control freak who thinks Hiccup Haddock can do nothing for himself, which is partly true, even if he won't admit it."

"I do not think he is unable to do anything for himself," she hotly contested, glaring daggers at Snotlout. "Hiccup is perfectly capable of taking care of himself, and I do not have to keep hourly tabs on him and his actions."

"Sure," Snotlout sing-songed. "That's why he's always giving you his itinerary for the day at breakfast and saying he needs to tell you what he's about to do before he does it. You've got him wrapped around your little finger so tight that the guy can't see straight, and he doesn't even know it."

"I do not! He's just letting me help him plan his day at breakfast…and being considerate the rest of the time."

Fishlegs squeaked. Astrid turned her glare on him. The twins laughed. "Snotlout's right, Astrid," Ruffnut called. "You've totally got Hiccup trained like a dog." She cackled some more.

Tuffnut snorted. "Yeah, like a dog because dogs can be trained to do tricks – and obey commands…" he trailed off when Astrid's icy gaze landed on him and his sister. "Uh, sis, she's giving us that look."

Ruffnut quit laughing and looked at her brother. "Which look?"

Tuffnut kept his attention on Astrid, watching her warily. "The 'I'm going to chop your toes off with my super-sharp axe then strangle you with my braid' look."

Astrid growled. "You guys are insufferable! We should go look for him."

Fishlegs bravely stepped towards her again and set a broad hand one her shoulder. "Look, Astrid. We all know that Hiccup attracts trouble like a yak herd attracts flies, but you did promise to give him until morning to return, at the latest. He probably just decided to help Johann repair the ship and lost track of time. You know how Johann is, too. He likes company, and they're probably swapping stories on a beach out there. Hiccup will be back, and if he's not here by breakfast, then we'll all ride out to find him. Deal?"

Astrid's slumped where she stood, her arms crossed, a scowl marring her face, but she met Fishlegs's gaze and nodded shortly. "Fine, but if he's not here in the morning, I better not hear one word of complaint about going after him. If I do, you'll be on dragon dung duty for a month," she promised. With that she marched out of the clubhouse doors to keep vigil through the night.

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Consciousness came back to Hiccup slowly. His head pounded. His tongue felt thick and heavy, and his limbs were uncooperative. He groaned as a wave of nausea washed over him. His skin was cold and clammy. Somewhere in his fogged mind, he was reminded of his nineteenth birthday celebration several months back when he had been goaded into a drinking contest against Snotlout. Hiccup had not only lost the contest, but he had also spent the whole of the following day fighting the worst hang-over of his life to date. That included the time about two weeks after he woke up from the Red Death coma and had drunk himself into a stupor in a foolish attempt to numb the phantom pain of his lost leg.

This, though, was worse than either of those. He opened his eyes and squinted at the dimly lit room he was in. He shivered and glanced down at himself. His leather riding vest was gone, as were his tunic and foot. His wrists were restrained to the wall behind him that he had been slumped against, and the bars of the grate he was sitting on were pressing painfully into his legs. He shifted in an attempt to ease the ache, but that only made the nausea come on again, stronger than before. His discomfort was pushed aside by his mounting terror and alarm, and Hiccup forced himself to push past the brain fog to try to remember what had happened to him.

"Gods," he moaned. "What happened to me?" He shifted again, ignoring the turning of his stomach, the migraine in his head, and the general stiff ache of his body. All at once he remembered the note from trader Johann and the argument with Astrid. He gasped and straightened his posture as he began to recall what all had happened. "We found the ship…" he murmured to himself. "And Johann was there, but then – Oh gods! Toothless! Johann! He kidnapped me – with Viggo's help!"

Hiccup forgot his fear. He jerked on the chains of the wrist restraints. He only had about a foot of slack on the chains and could see no easy way to pick the locks in his current dilemma, and the chains were newly forged and crafted by a master. Gobber himself couldn't have done a better job. He looked towards the barred wall of the cell. He couldn't see anything or anyone in the darkness of the corridor. "TOOTHLESS?" he called out, but for all his straining to hear a response, there wasn't one. He tilted his head back onto the damp wall behind him. "Think, Hiccup. Think. I need to get out of here, find something for a foot, find Toothless, and get back to some place I know."

Hiccup looked around his cell. He was seated on a grate that was laid across the top of a one-foot deep pit that was about two feet wide by two feet long. About two and a half feet past the end of the pit were another pair of shackles set into the dirt floor. The wall directly in front of him was made of thick metal bars riveted into a grid pattern, secure, sturdy, professional, expensive work. There was a chamber pot across the cell, but with his restraints and lack of a left foot, getting to the thing would be impossible. (That thought made him realize just how full his bladder was starting to feel, but he pushed the desire to relieve himself to the side in the hopes that he would soon be given outhouse privileges by his captors or find a way to get to the pot himself.) Directly above his head was a small window, high on the rough stone wall, just enough to ventilate the space and let the cold night air drift into the cell, chilling his half-clad self.

Hiccup sat in silence for the next few minutes trying to let the worst of the hang over from the sedative wear off while he contemplated how he might escape his predicament. Nothing came to mind. He drew his right leg up and curled his left underneath his bent knee, attempting to conserve some of his body heat. The open pit beneath him and the stone wall behind did not help matters. He wondered what Viggo, Krogan, and apparently Johann had planned for him. Nothing good he suspected. The pit had two shovel-sized "wings" that stuck out on either side beyond the grate that he was seated on. His short shackles, bare torso, and general lack of available creature comforts only reinforced his idea that he was in for a rough stay.

The cold draft and lack of light from the window made him think it was night. He hoped that there was some kind of trail or clue for the Riders to follow when they set out at first light. He harbored no illusions that Astrid wasn't waiting up for him, not with how upset she had been at his going to meet Johann.

His thoughts were interrupted by the creak of a heavy door somewhere beyond his sight. He stiffened, listening to the firm gait of the approaching people because there was definitely more than one set of footsteps. "Sucky time to be captured, restrained, and dragon-less," he murmured to himself. He straightened, determined to not appear weak to his captors in spite of his freckly bare skinny torso. He had none of Stoick's stature, but he had all of his determination and stubbornness.

Three imposing silhouettes came to a stop in front of his cell. "Ah, I see our guest has awakened. Do you like your accommodations, Hiccup?" Viggo asked.

"It's not up to snuff with Berk's guest hut, Viggo, I'll say that, but then, traitor Johann there can tell you all about that. Can't you, Johann?" Hiccup shot back, directing a fierce glare at Johann.

"No need to be snarky, Hiccup," Johann replied. "We were kind enough to leave you with your pants."

"Yeah? Well, I should have left you with your frozen ship a few years ago. Would have saved my people and me some trouble, it would seem. What are they offering you for your loyalty, Johann: gold, glory, both?"

The man sneered for a moment, but then a sadistic smile spread across his face. He calmly replied, "It was always a ruse, little Hiccup. The plan has always been to gain your father's trust, and when he least expected it, to take everything from under him. My boss has been paying me well these past twelve odious years to get close to Stoick and you so that we can destroy Berk and conquer the Archipelago."

Hiccup listened with growing hatred and growled at the man he had considered a close ally and friend. "You're a wolf in sheep's clothing, a snake! May Odin have mercy on your black soul because I can promise you that neither Stoick the Vast, the Hooligans of Berk, nor I will! You'll regret this, traitor! As will your boss! And where is my dragon? Where is Toothless?" He jerked at the chains and pushed up onto one knee, straining towards the villains on the other side of the cell. A rage he had rarely experienced filled him, and he had the stray thought that if he were a dragon, he would roast them all three where they stood.

Krogan slammed his spear against the cell bars, and the clang reverberated on the stone walls, making Hiccup's migraine pound with extra force. He squeezed his eyes shut and grimaced against the pain. "Enough of this! Where the night fury is, is none of your concern, runt!" the dark man roared. "We came to get answers, not listen to him rant and rave."

"Precisely," agreed Viggo. He produced a key and unlocked the cell to step inside. Hiccup stood as straight as he could while on his knees and chained to the wall. Viggo came closer and leaned over Hiccup's small frame. "Your attempt to be imposing is as successful as a toddling child's. A commendable effort, I suppose, but you, my dear Hiccup, are in no position to intimidate anyone, especially with that pale, weak chest on full view." Hiccup didn't back down, his glare never wavering from the scarred man's amused expression. Viggo pressed a finger against Hiccup's clavicle and chuckled. "It would seem that a certain blonde warrior enjoys the scrawny look, however." A flush filled Hiccup's cheeks against his will as a quick memory of the heated make-out session he and Astrid had shared the night before he received Johann's missive flitted across his mind. They had gotten carried away and joked afterwards about leaving their marks on one another. Astrid was particularly fond of his shoulders and often did leave marks there during their more intimate moments. Viggo leaned close to Hiccup's ear and whispered. "You had better hold dear to that memory, Hiccup Haddock. It will be the last good one you ever have." A hard punch to the gut punctuated the statement, and Hiccup fell forward, gasping for air, only the restraints on his wrists kept him from faceplanting the grate beneath him.

Hiccup lifted his eyes in defiance. "What have you done with Toothless?" he demanded.

Krogan stepped forward and pushed Hiccup back against the wall with the butt of his spear. "None. Of. Your. Concern." He jabbed Hiccup's chest with each word. "We want answers, boy, and you will give them or face the consequences. I am not a patient man. Don't test me, if you know what's good for you."

Johann approached. He unrolled a piece of parchment in Hiccup's face. "Tell us what you know of this dragon," he demanded.

Hiccup studied the sketch of the dragon on the paper. It looked similar to the skeleton that he, Dagur, and Fishlegs had discovered on Vanahiem, but he would never tell these three about that place. "Don't know it," he lied.

"You're lying," Viggo stated. Krogan pressed the spear butt harder into Hiccup's sternum. "My friend there is quite eager to spill some blood – your blood, in fact. Maybe you would like to rethink your answer."

"Even if I knew anything about that dragon, I would never tell the likes of you three!" The words had barely escaped Hiccup's mouth before Krogan slammed the butt of the spear against the love bite that Viggo had pointed out earlier. Something snapped under the force of the blow, and Hiccup's vision went black. A scream ripped from his throat, and he rolled his head back against the wall, closing his eyes to get his bearings. Before he could, however, a strong hand gripped his chin with bruising force and twisted his head to face his captors. Hiccup panted through the white-hot pain in his shoulder and shot a look of daggers at the trio.

Viggo was squatted in front of him, holding his face in place. "I warned you to hold tight to that memory, did I not? Now, we shall try again. Tell us what you know of this dragon."

Hiccup knew nothing of the dragon in question except the skeleton on Vanahiem, and they would never know about that sacred place. "Go suck a gronkle egg, Viggo," he hissed.

Viggo's fist smashed into Hiccup's cheekbone, and the back of Hiccup's head collided violently against the stone wall. Hiccup saw stars, and his stomach roiled from pain. He blinked and shook his head weakly. When he was able to focus again, Johann had joined Viggo in front of him, and he had another small bottle. "He's been trained by Stoick," Johann informed the men. "We won't get anywhere with him by beating him. Open his mouth, Viggo. I have a more exotic idea for loosening his tongue."

Hiccup pressed his mouth closed and tried to turn his head away. He pulled at his restraints. Viggo grasped his chin, again, forcing Hiccup's head forward. The man then pried Hiccup's mouth open, but just before Johann could pour the contents of the bottle down Hiccup's throat, Hiccup jerked his knee upwards and caught Viggo hard between the legs. The man fell back with a high-pitched whine, his eyes bugged and watering. Hiccup clamped his mouth shut and kicked with both legs at Johann. He twisted and pulled at his restraints. His right shoulder was in agony from the movement, and within seconds, the three men were on him. They had him stretched out on his back on the grate, his arms above his head. His right ankle was in a shackle, and his left leg was tied at the knee to his right leg.

Viggo used the butt of Krogan's spear to thump Hiccup's crotch. Hiccup cried out. His legs trembled, and something deep in his gut cramped and convulsed. Hiccup rolled his head to the side and retched. Having not eaten anything since a piece of jerky he had while flying to the island, only bile made an appearance. He panted and narrowed his eyes at the men standing above him.

Viggo sneered at him. "Retribution, Hiccup. You will learn to not throw tantrums such as that again."

Hiccup huffed through his nose but said nothing. Krogan squatted back down and held a knife to his throat, while Viggo once again forced his mouth open, and Johann poured in the elixir. He was forced to swallow, and the men stood up again. Hiccup coughed and sputtered as they backed away from him.

Johann crossed his arms. "You'll talk, once the visions start," he promised Hiccup. "I am a trader, after all, and that particular elixir is from the Celtic tribes. You'll find that your precious Gothi has nothing on the potion-makers of the Celts. Your deepest, darkest nightmares will soon become realities to your eyes." He leaned down, again, and spoke low in Hiccup's ear. "You worst fears will come true. The darkest corner of your mind will unleash a waking nightmare before your eyes, and you'll be begging to tell us anything we want to know if only to ensure that we do not give you more potion."

Hiccup pressed his mouth into a thin line. He could already feel the paranoia beginning to creep into his brain, the fight-or-flight adrenaline starting to course through his veins, but he was determined to not give anything away. He concentrated on breathing slow and steady as he eyed the man from the corner of his eyes.

Krogan's spear tip pressed against Hiccup's belly, and he cut his eyes to the Dragon Flier. "And if you still don't cooperate, then we'll add some fuel to the fire." The man smirked, and Hiccup started to get a really bad feeling about the purpose of the pit below him.

Hiccup clenched his fists. "My name is Hiccup Haddock. I am from Berk. I know nothing of the dragons or their riders," he quoted.

The men did not look amused. "We are not Alvin the Treacherous, boy," Johann spat. "Your pubescent antics won't be of any help to you here." Johann stood up and turned to the other two men. "Come. Let's leave him. The potion will be coursing through his system within the hour, and then we can question him."

Krogan and Viggo nodded, and a minute later, Hiccup was left with only his pain and mounting fear for company.

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The rising sun illuminated Astrid standing at attention on the northern edge of the clubhouse platform. She grasped her axe in her hands and stared defiantly in the direction she had last seen her beloved flying.

The other four Dragon Riders walked in silence up to the Clubhouse and stopped at the sight. "He didn't come back," Snotlout commented in a flat voice.

The twins exchanged glances. "This won't be good," stated Tuffnut. Ruffnut nodded in agreement.

Fishlegs stepped out in front and faced them. "There's plenty of perfectly good reasons for Hiccup not returning yet, so let's not jump to the worst case scenario."

Astrid stepped up beside Fishlegs, startling the stocky man. "That's right, Fishlegs. Although, there aren't any perfectly good reasons for a person to not send a terror mail to his worried girlfriend to let her know that he's been held up for some geeky reason. Grab some water and jerky, gang. We've got a Rider to find."

Within fifteen minutes the Riders were soaring away from Dragon's Edge. "Keep an eye on the water, people! If something went wrong with Toothless's rigging, they could have crashed. Neither of them are the best swimmers and will need to be rescued," Astrid called to the others.

"Don't you think we should send a note to Stoick?" Fishlegs asked.

Astrid turned and glanced at him. "No, not unless we can't find Hiccup. Until we have more information, we keep this to ourselves."

"Fine, but if we can't find his scrawny butt, then I'm not going to be the messenger," Snotlout announced, crossing his arms and staring forward.

"If we can't find him, then I'm telling Stoick," Astrid declared. "Now let's go!" She urged Stormfly forward, and the others had no recourse except to follow her lead.

It was a tense two hours. There was no sign of Hiccup or Toothless on the flight to the island. Even the twins kept their joking and half-baked comments between the two of them. When they at last flew over the island Hiccup had been told to meet Johann at, they found nothing. It was a tiny piece of land, only about a mile wide. There was a small lake in the middle of it, surrounded by a sparse forest of short, thin trees. The grass was tough. The ground was rocky, and the wildlife was basically limited to a few small rodents and birds.

"Snotlout, Ruff, Tuff, you three check the forest for any sign of a camp or anything. Fishlegs, you and I will check out the beach," Astrid instructed.

Snotlout and the twins headed for the trees. Fishlegs was inspecting a map on Meatlug's back. "According to this map that Hiccup made, this island has a natural harbor on the west shore. We should probably start our search there."

Astrid nodded. "Stormfly, come here girl! I need you take me to the other side of the island."

Meatlug and Stormfly landed on the sand of the western beach, and just as Hiccup's map had shown, there was perfect place for anchoring a ship. "Is there nothing that man can't do?" Fishlegs marveled as he compared the land to the drawing.

"He can't keep himself out of trouble," Astrid responded, hopping off Stormfly and beginning to search the area for any sign of Hiccup and Toothless.

"That's true," Fishlegs agreed. The pair worked in silence for a few minutes. Astrid couldn't shake the feeling that they should have come looking for Hiccup when he didn't show for dinner. She knew in her gut that something was amiss, but she desperately hoped that her gut was wrong, that they or the others would find something that proved that Hiccup had just overslept or gotten sidetracked. Hearing Fishlegs gasp several yards away made her heart sink. "Oh Thor! Astrid, you need to see this!"

Astrid hurried over to where Fishlegs was standing. He had his boots off and had waded into ankle deep water. He looked at her, eyes wide and concerned, and held up Hiccup's false foot. Astrid sucked in a breath. "Is it broken? You know he keeps spares, maybe this one just-″

Fishlegs stepped back onto the shore. "Astrid, this one is in perfect shape," he answered gently, placing the metal and wood limb in her hand.

Her fingers shook as she grasped it, but she had no more time to react before hearing a crashing from the trees. She and Fishlegs turned to the noise just as Tuffnut stumbled onto the beach. "Guys! Come on! We've found something!" Without waiting, he turned and headed back into the woods.

Fishlegs shoved his feet into his boots, squashing the tops down in the process. Astrid wasted no time in following after Tuffnut, leaving her blond companion to hobble after her. She clutched Hiccup's foot in her hand and thanked the gods that the trees were sparse on this little island as she pushed through the brambles in Tuffnut's wake. It only took a few minutes for her to spot Ruffnut and Snotlout ahead of her, but she stopped short when she entered the small clearing and saw what their group had found. Fishlegs stumbled in and bumped into her, huffing from the fast pace. Snotlout stepped towards her, a glint of sympathy shone in his eyes. "Astrid, I'm-″

"No!" she burst out, rushing past Snotlout. She tripped trying to get to a smoldering pile. Tuffnut caught and steadied her before she could land headlong in the glowing embers. The sharp tang of burnt leather and metal hung in the air, and her vision blurred with tears as she took in what was clearly the incinerated remains of Toothless's saddle and rigging. A six-inch wide piece of the bright red tailfin lay at her feet in the grass just beyond the charred earth. Astrid reached down with a visibly trembling hand and picked up the thick fabric. She rubbed it between her fingers and tried to wrap the foot in the fabric, but her hands shook to the point that she dropped them both. She choked on a sob.

Ruffnut gathered the precious pieces, wrapped them together with a gentleness that the crew had rarely witnessed, and handed them back to Astrid. "We'll get them back, Astrid. We will," she vowed, squeezing Astrid's wrist.

Astrid's chin trembled. Fishlegs, the big, burly man that he was, pulled her into a hug. There was such care and concern in it, that she was reminded of the last hug she had shared with Hiccup when he was comforting her and soothing her fears, and she buried her face in the broad chest of her friend and wept. She felt hands rubbing her back, squeezing her shoulders, and stroking her hair. There were arms holding her tight as her world tumbled down around her. There were words, vows, promises being spoken. There were sobs other than her own. There were dragon croons of sadness, squawks of anger, and fluttering of impatient wings.

 _"You're free to organize a search party for my sorry butt."_

 _"Keep them in line, milady."_

 _"I'll be fine. I promise."_

Hiccup's words echoed through her mind. She had told him that she needed him, and she did. However, right now, he needed her. Someone had ambushed him. Someone had taken his ability to walk from him. Someone had taken Toothless's ability to fly from him. Someone had simply taken them both.

Astrid took a shuddering breath, pulled back from the massive group embrace she had become ensconced in, and wiped her eyes. She met each pair of eyes individually. One by one every Rider straightened their postures, squared their shoulders, and wiped dry their faces. "We're getting them back. We will find out what happened and get them back." The response was palpable fierce solidarity.

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A/N: Part 2 coming soon!


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: This chapter is rated M for gore and horror. If you wish to skip this first section, which is where a lot of the rating comes from, that's fine. Just remember that Hiccup was given a strong hallucinogen in the last chapter that will make his worst fears come to life. Our worst fears tend to stem from our greatest loves. Hiccup's greatest loves are his people and his dragons. You can probably guess where I went with it from there.

There is also some gruesome imagery later in the chapter during a battle scene.

P.S. Thank you for all the reviews, follows, and favorites. You know how to make a writer feel loved.

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Hiccup could feel his back puckering and blistering from the heat behind him. His false foot had been bent beyond use and his shoulder broken in the fall. He could only hobble along with the aid of a long board he had found in the rubble of a burnt down hut further down the row. He could see his dad, Gobber, the other Riders, and small group of villagers at the base of the steps to the Great Hall. The dragons had the group cornered. All around him flames swallowed entire homes and buildings. The smell of burning flesh and the sound of pained screams rent the air. The destruction was catastrophic. If he didn't get to the fight in the plaza, there would be no survivors.

The whole village had been caught off guard. They had lived in peace with the dragons for five years, and then out of nowhere, Toothless – of all the dragons – had violently thrown Hiccup off his back during their twilight flight and rallied the other dragons to attack the same village that had taken them in and loved them. The Berkians, so out of practice at fighting against the huge, fire-breathing reptiles, were massacred. Hiccup had tried to calm every dragon he came across as he struggled to make his way to the center of the fight where Toothless was, but he was unsuccessful every time. Thus far, he had killed three dragons himself. That was enough to make him want to plunge his flaming sword into his own chest. He knew, though, if he could just get to Toothless, he could reason with the night fury. He could find out what had gone wrong. He could put a stop to the slaughter of his people.

At last he made it to the square. The remnant population of Berk, only a handful of souls, compared to the hundreds from just hours ago, stood in a ring fighting against the very dragons they had tamed, trained, and trusted. "TOOTHLESS! NO!" Hiccup yelled as he struggled to cross the square to get to his best friend. "Don't hurt them! We're your friends, bud! Don't do this!"

Toothless turned on his Rider. His mouth was open wide and starting to glow. His pupils were narrowed into slits. There was no affection in those eyes, nothing except anger and hatred. Hiccup's eyes burned with tears. "Please, Toothless," he begged as he stumbled towards the dragons.

Toothless swung his tail around and swatted Hiccup away. Hiccup slammed against the ground, his already tender head banging against the hard-packed dirt. His vision darkened, and the world spun. He pushed himself up onto his elbows just in time to see Toothless aim for Stoick. "DAD!"

Hiccup yelled, reaching out towards his father as he tried to get his good leg under him.

Stoick locked angry, unyielding eyes on his son. "This is all your fault, Hiccup! You're not my son!"

The tale-tell screech of a night fury attack reached a crescendo, and Toothless fired his plasma blast at Stoick's chest from point blank range. The air left Hiccup's lungs in one rush. "NO! NO, NO, NO! TOOTHLESS NO! STOP!" Hiccup was finally back on his foot and crutch. He worked to get to the fight. Stormfly cut her eyes his way and shot a handful of spines at him. One of them grazed his side, and he hit his knees. He looked down at the wound. Blood was flowing from it, dripping down his bare torso. He clutched it with his hand and looked towards Astrid.

Her hair was flying all around her face and shoulders, having long since come out of her braid. It was shorter than it had been the night before when he had loosened it while they were kissing in a storage room of the Great Hall. The blackened ends told him it had been caught in flames. Blood stained her blue tunic and spiked skirt, but from the way she was swinging that axe, he knew it wasn't her blood. He was sure he didn't want to know whose blood it was. "Astrid, don-″ he weakly called, but the warning was too late. Her axe came down, taking off Barf's head. Belch roared as the dragon's body fell. In a final attempt at revenge, Belch snapped his jaws at Astrid, taking off her right arm.

Astrid screamed in pain and fell, grasping the bloody stump with her left hand. She glared at Hiccup as her head lolled. "I hate you, Haddock," she yelled hoarsely and then slumped on the ground unconscious.

The other villagers all continued the futile fight for their lives. The pain from the burns on his back, the slice on his side, the concussion, the fractured shoulder, and the broken heart left Hiccup with no more strength to try to stop the fight. The dragons shot fire at the people. They tore at the villagers with their claws. They bit their humans into pieces with their teeth. It was by far the goriest of all battles ever fought on Berk. The worst was that turn by turn each of the men and women in the square had sent their ferocious glares at Hiccup and told him that this, the annihilation of his village, was on his hands for bringing the dragons into their village and allowing the treacherous beasts to roam freely among the people and in the streets. Spitelout, Ack, Silent Sven, Phlegma, Bucket, Mulch, Mildew, Gobber, Gothi, Gustav, Fishlegs, Ruffnut, Tuffnut, Snotlout. They all expressed their hatred. They all were murdered.

Hiccup could do nothing. Tears coursed down his face. His chest heaved. The pain of knowing that he had brought this on his village, his people was all-consuming. His lungs felt like they would collapse. He wanted to die. He would go to Hel for bringing this on the people he was charged to protect and care for, but he didn't care. He deserved Hel. He deserved worse than that. It was with a sense of relief that he instinctively looked towards the sound of a building plasma blast just in time to see it hit his own chest.

Hiccup was gone before his charred body hit the blood-soaked ground.

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"Get him off the grate before he burns to death," Viggo commanded the low-ranking hunter behind him. He crossed his arms and turned to Johann. "I told you, did I not, that you gave him too much of that potion. He was too drugged to even hear our questions."

The hunter grunted and pushed a wheelbarrow over to one side of where Hiccup was passed out on the hot bars of the grate. He deftly unlocked Hiccup's right wrist and legs and flipped him off the grate like a sack of potatoes before proceeding to lift the grate up against the wall and scoop out the hot coals in the pit beneath. He glanced at the bright red horizonal blisters across Hiccup's slim back and grimaced, glad it wasn't his back. The heat had been intense enough to even staunch the flow of blood from the cut that Krogan had applied with his spear when Hiccup failed to acknowledge a question he had been asked. The hunter said nothing as he went about his duties, but the boy's screams as his drugged brain brought his worst fears to life would haunt the man forever. He scooped out the last of the coals, dropped the grate back over the pit, and silently prayed that he would never be subjected to the potion himself. He cast a final pitying glance at the kid and left the cell.

Johann gestured the unconscious young man on the ground. "That's the point, Viggo. When the drug starts to wear off, we question him again. He'll be aware enough to know his mind played a sadistic trick on him, yet still influenced enough by the drug to keep his tongue loose from the fear it forces a person to feel. He will talk to avoid a second dose."

"You've spent twelve years getting to know him, yet you still underestimate him, Johann. Knowing the visions were the result of a drug will only give him more incentive to keep his secrets. Unless we bring actual harm to someone he cares about, we'll get nowhere with him. That goes for your barbarian methods, too, Krogan," Viggo threw to the third man. "Even Dagur the Deranged knew that much."

Krogan raised his bloody spear. "People always break their silence if enough pain is applied, Viggo. It's just about knowing where and how much of it use. Trust me, the burns and his other injuries will be even more painful later and easy to manipulate. He'll tell us everything he knows about the bewilderbeast and the vigilante rider in Drago's territory."

"Drago wants Stoick the Vast and Berk brought to their knees. We also must learn the secret to their defeat. They are the strongest threat to our operation in the Archipelago," Viggo reminded the men.

"The most expedient way to take down the Hooligans is to take down this boy," Johann stated, pointing, again, to Hiccup. "They've gone soft since he engineered peace between his tribe and the dragons. We need only to throw the body at them after we've finished with him, and the island and its inhabitants – human and dragon – will be Drago's."

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The Dragon Riders hovered in the air looking over Berk. Astrid felt like she could vomit. How could she come to Stoick with this news? She clearly remembered the rage the man had when Hiccup had been captured by bounty hunters a few months before, and she was not eager for a repeat performance.

A further search of the island had turned up evidence that a group of hunters had laid in wait behind the trees. They had found no sign that Toothless or Hiccup had even set foot on the beach, but Fishlegs insisted that a ship the size of Johann's had been in the harbor recently. Something was afoot. Astrid felt like she had all the pieces of one of Hiccup's inventions before her, but she couldn't work out how to fit them together. She wished she had something more definitive to bring to Stoick. As it was, what she had would have to do.

"Alright, guys. I'll talk to Stoick. You just…have a bag of provisions packed and ready. He'll leave the moment he has a plan in place," she instructed.

Snotlout flew Hookfang closer to her. "Are you sure you don't want us to come with you?"

She gave him a small smile. "I'm sure. He's Hiccup's dad. I should be the one to tell him. Go on. I'll find you when there's a plan."

The Riders broke formation, each flying in the direction of their homes, except Astrid who flew over the village until she spotted Stoick near Silent Sven's sheep farm. She landed Stormfly. "Go the stables, girl. I'll come by soon and check on you." Stormfly squawked and flew off in the direction of the new dragon hangar and stables that Hiccup had finished designing just before the Riders discovered the Dragon Eye. The Berkians had finally finished constructing the stables a couple of months ago. Astrid clutched the satchel in her hands tighter. The false foot, scrap of a tailfin, and Johann's note were all it contained, but it weighed as much as a millstone. She swallowed against the tears that threatened to form and took a deep breath through her nose. Now was not the time for her to get worked up. She had a task to perform, and getting distraught about the situation wouldn't help her, Stoick, nor certainly Hiccup. She steeled her nerves. She was a warrior, a Dragon Rider, and the future wife of the future chief. She could do this.

"Astrid! Quite a surprise!" boomed Stoick's voice. Astrid turned to see him searching the skies with that proud smile on his face, and her resolve nearly broke. "Has Hiccup headed back into the 'Great Beyond' already?" the chief joked as he patted her shoulder.

Astrid took a breath. "Chief-"

"Ah, none of that now, lass! We're family in all but name now, you and I. Just call me Stoick." His cheerfulness made her stomach clench, and she suddenly thought she knew some of the reason why Hiccup had been so adamant about not letting his dad know about the bounty a few months ago. Disappointing this man would break a person's very spirit. Knowing all that she knew about the past, her respect for Hiccup's inner strength and sense of duty rose even higher.

"Uh, Stoick…I-I'm afraid I have some news…" And just like that, the whole atmosphere changed. "It would be best if we talked inside, sir," she added as she gently tugged him towards his hut.

As they rounded the corner, Astrid sighed in relief to see Gobber entering the Haddock hut. Stoick had come out of his initial shock by that time and marched towards his home as if nothing were amiss, and Astrid followed, allowing the bag to hang casually off her shoulder. Just a Rider bringing information to Stoick from Dragon's Edge.

Gobber was already filling mugs of mead when Astrid and Stoick walked through the door. "Astrid," he greeted. "I saw Fishlegs a bit ago. He asked me to come here. Said yeh have some news."

"Hi, Gobber," she returned placing the satchel on the table. "News is one way to put it," she answered as Gobber sat at the table.

Stoick sat down with a weary sigh and took a long pull from the mug. "No need to be anxious, lass. Sit and tell me what's goin' on."

Astrid sat as bid and took a breath. "First, sir, did you send a package to Hiccup by way of trader Johann recently?"

"Johann!" Gobber shouted. "We've seen nary hide nor hair of Johann this whole season! He's done missed his trading days twice, an' he owes me a pile o' scrap metal!"

Alarm filled Astrid's mind. "What?!" She looked from Gobber to Stoick twice.

"Aye," Stoick confirmed. "He's been a no-show. In fact, I was just about to send a message to Hiccup about it, find out if he's been out your way."

Astrid nodded and started digging in the bag in search of Johann's missive to Hiccup. "We've been in contact with him several times over the past few months – more than usual, in fact. Actually, we received this message a couple of days ago, and that's what we're here about."

She handed the note to Stoick. He squinted at the parchment and held it before his eyes as far as his arm could reach. "Ack! Can't the man write with fewer loops. Been havin' Hiccup settle accounts with him for years because readin' his pompous writin' is nigh impossible," he grumbled.

"Would ya like for me to hold it for yeh?" joked Gobber, turning up his mug hand.

"Nevermind!" Astrid impatiently cried, pulling the page from Stoick's hand. "It says, _'Master Hiccup, I am writing to inform you that I have a package from your father on board my ship. At my last stop to Berk only two weeks ago, he bartered a favor from me: a tariff-free stop on my next round for a safe delivery of the package to you. He says that while it wasn't urgent enough to warrant a special trip by dragon, since I would be in the general area of Dragon's Edge, he would have preferred that you get it sooner rather than later. I, of course, readily accepted, as I am always willing to help Stoick the Vast and the ever-accommodating village of Berk – and, of course, you, Master Hiccup._

 _'It would seem, however, that the gods are against my goodwill, for I ran into a brutal storm last night and have had to weigh anchor at the uninhabited island known as Sparrow Haven. I believe it is a rather short distance by dragon from your base. I will have to make immediate repairs to my ship before setting on my route, again, but due to this and a few other unexpected delays this season, I will not be able to afford to squeeze in a stop at Dragon's Edge, as I will need every one of my regular stops on my route for my books to break even._

 _'I know that it is most unusual and quite presumptuous for me to ask, but if you do have the time to spare, I would appreciate it most ardently if you could come to this isle and gather the package yourself. I would hate to not get the package to you, as your father seemed adamant that you receive it in a timely manner._

 _'In your debt, Trader Johann'"_

Astrid handed the message back to Stoick who took it in silence. Gobber's eyes were wide, while Stoick's were quickly narrowing. Astrid gulped. "Hiccup insisted that the note was in Johann's hand, and left only minutes after receiving it. I told him that something didn't seem right, but he said that everything would be fine. He promised to be back before nightfall, or sunrise at the latest, but he never returned."

"Did yeh go teh this Sparrow Haven?" Gobber asked. Stoick was uncannily still and quiet, something that Astrid was sure did not bode well.

She nodded her head. "Yes, we left first thing the next morning and searched the island." She blinked hard and took a shaky breath as she reached into the bag again and pulled out the foot and scrap of red cloth. She left them in the middle of the table. "We found the – the foot in the ocean's edge, and further into the middle of the island, we found the…the remains of a bonfire. Toothless's saddle and rigging – well, what was left of it – were all there, burnt and destroyed. Fishlegs said that a ship had recently been anchored there. We found evidence of hunters having hidden in the tree line. But that's all we have. No signs of a struggle or even that Hiccup and Toothless landed on the island at all."

"But yeh said yeh found these on the island?" Gobber asked, pointing to the items before them.

"We think…We think they may have landed on the deck of the ship and never got off."

"Was it Johann's ship?" Stoick asked.

Astrid shrugged. "We don't know, sir. Fishlegs said that based on the length and width of the scrapes along the rocky natural harbor of the island, that it would have been the same size as Johann's ship, but that's all we know."

"And Dragon's Edge has been in contact with Johann over the past season?" he asked, again.

Astrid nodded. "Yes. He's been around a lot, surprisingly. I haven't thought much of it until now, though." She looked at her future father-in-law and was shocked to realize she knew his expression. She knew it because she had seen it time and time, again, ever since she was fifteen years old and Hiccup stood at the edge of a cliff and told her that he was going to do something crazy. She was struck by the similarity that she had never noticed before, and without thinking first, she asked, "What are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking that either someone has coerced Johann into being a part of a foul Loki trick to kidnap my son, or that Johann has betrayed us and taken Hiccup himself. Either way, he was part of it, and we are going to get Hiccup back." The firm look in his eye was another one Astrid recognized. He had a plan. He turned to his friend. "Gobber, get me the big map and round up the A-Team. Astrid, gather the Riders. We'll all meet in the Great Hall in an hour."

Gobber grunted and stood. "Aye, chief," he answered as he lumbered out the door.

"Okay, sir," Astrid said.

A heavy hand landed on her shoulder. "Astrid?"

She looked up. "Sir?"

"We'll get him back. And the name's Stoick." He smiled at her through his mighty beard, and Astrid didn't even try to stop herself from giving him a hug.

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Hiccup squeezed his eyes tight and groaned. He had long since stopped trying to keep track of what all hurt. Mostly because it hurt to think but also because he figured it would just be easier to list "whole body" and call it done. Viggo, Krogan, and Johann made sure to keep some of that awful potion in his system, so he constantly felt on the verge of panic and terror. In his more lucid moments he was sure that his state of mind was doing no favors for his state of body.

He wasn't sure how long he had been a prisoner, but it was long enough for him to have decided that if a rescue wasn't possible, then he just wanted to die. He had no idea what state Toothless was in or even where the dragon was. Thor, he didn't even know where he was. They could have carted him off to Rome, and he wouldn't have known it.

Hiccup lolled his head and listlessly tugged at the restraints on his left wrist. "Gods, just let me die," he groaned.

"All in good time, my dear Hiccup," came Viggo's voice from above him. "We're preparing the ships as we speak. The good news is that you'll get to die looking at your precious Berk. The bad news is that while your village is reeling from witnessing your death, we'll move in and destroy them. Without Berk and their meddling Dragon Riders to stand in our way, the Archipelago will be easy bend to our will. None of the other tribes care to acknowledge it, but Berk is the strongest force around."

"And the biggest threat to our boss's goals," added Krogan.

"And you are their greatest weakness," finished Johann. "Since we can't get any information out of you, your only usefulness to us is your death. Don't worry, Hiccup. Your demise shall be a tale I regale my customers with for years to come."

Hiccup cracked his eyes open and gave the best glare he could manage, given his current state. "Y-You'd think…after twelve years that you'd know Berk better…than that. You won't win…Stoick will slaughter you where you stand."

Krogan swung the tip of his blade across the bottom of Hiccup's stump. Hiccup couldn't stop the hoarse cry from leaving his mouth. "You never learn to shut that smart mouth," Krogan growled.

Hiccup coughed weakly. "Well, you know…I see a jerk…and I just have to…sass him…It's who I am."

Krogan roared and swiped Hiccup's stump again. Hiccup cried out and coughed. As the pain faded from agonizing to a sharp pulse, Hiccup closed his eyes, out of breath, and desperately hoping for unconsciousness to take him – or death. He wasn't picky at this point.

"Ignore him, Krogan. Sarcastic smart aleck is his default," Viggo admonished. "He either knows nothing or will reveal nothing. Johann send him back to his nightmares. We have preparations to make. We leave first thing in the morning."

Hiccup didn't have the energy to even fight when Johann poured a few drops of the bitter potion in his mouth. He distantly heard the cell door slamming shut. In the silence that followed, he allowed himself a moment to imagine the feel of a strong yet gentle hand carding through his hair and making two tiny braids behind his ear. As his mind began to give way to the effects of the potion, he could almost hear Astrid's voice say, "Hang on, Hiccup. Just a little longer. For me."

"For you," he whispered.

Then, Hiccup was in the forest, covered in blood and black scales, holding a blood and tissue covered knife in one hand and a dragon heart in the other, and Toothless lay dead before him with his chest carved open and his blood pooled around his bound body.

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"Snotlout! Fishlegs! Go find Toothless! Ruff! Tuff! Give them some cover fire!" Astrid directed as the Riders, A-Team, and Berserkers fly over Viggo's old base. Snotlout nodded once, and the grim-faced group flew off in the direction of the dragon cages.

"Gustav, Gobber, take the A-Team and sink those ships," Stoick ordered.

Gustav saluted the chief and signaled his team to follow him to the docks.

"What about us, Stoick?" asked Dagur.

"The four of us will be getting my son back," the man answered.

"You got it," Dagur called as he turned his triple strike towards the center of the base.

"Oh, and Dagur," called Stoick. Dagur and Heather turned to look at him. "No mercy. This is the last time these hunters try to hurt my people."

Dagur smiled maniacally. "Oooh yeah! This way!" With the blood-chilling Berserker battle cry ringing in the air, Astrid followed her chief and her friends into the heart of the base.

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Explosions were going off all over the compound. Astrid could hear the screams and yells of battle. Dragons roared and snapped their jaws. Weapons clanged. Astrid was soaked in sweat and spattered with blood and only the gods knew what else. They had been fighting hard for nearly an hour. The base was crawling with hunters. No doubt an attack on Berk had been planned. Her group had gone separate ways to cover more ground. She had Stormfly, but now that she had finally made her way to the entrance to the cells, her dragon was going to have to stay behind and guard the door since she was too big to fit inside. Astrid tugged on the door that was left completely unlocked and unguarded. "Arrogant bas-″

"Astrid!" yelled Snotlout.

She turned just as he had Hookfang drop Toothless on the ground. Then Hookfang landed and Snolout jumped off. Astrid ran to the night fury, and he greeted her with a gummy smile and swooshing tail. "Toothless! You're okay!" she exclaimed as she checked over the dragon, but aside from having no riding gear, there wasn't a scale out of place.

"Yeah, he is. They had him in an extra-large cage with a big pile of fish and plenty of water," Snotlout explained.

"It sounds like someone is paying well for a healthy night fury," she spat. She ran her hands along his front flank and down his side and frowned. "But he's lost weight," she pointed out.

Snotlout frowned. "I didn't notice," he admitted, "but he was curled up in the far corner of the cell. If he's not been eating, it's been by choice."

Astrid stroked the dragon's jaw, and he rumbled affectionately. "He needs Hiccup."

Snotlout pulled his axe from his back. "Speaking of…"

"I was just about to go inside. These are the cells," she answered as she hefted her axe from the ground.

A thud to the side had them both raising their weapons ready to attack. "Have you found him?" yelled Stoick as he jumped off Skullcrusher.

The pair exhaled in relief. "We're going inside now, chief," answered Snotlout.

Gobber landed Grump beside Skullcrusher at that moment, and Astrid almost growled in annoyance. "All the ships but one are sunk," he announced as he climbed off his dragon. "I thought we migh' need it. I've got the others razing the camp. Some old-fashioned Viking raiding. Now, where's Hiccup?"

"He's in here!" Astrid yelled. "Toothless, you and the dragons guard the door. We'll get Hiccup back," she ordered as she yanked the door open and led the way into the dimly lit hallway.

The smell was like a slap to the face. A vile mix of human excrement, vomit, blood, sweat, and stagnant damp. She coughed into her arm, her stomach churning. The only time she had ever smelt worse was when she investigated the fishing boat full of victims of the Scourge of Odin.

"Gods! That smell!" exclaimed Snotlout, gagging from the back of the line.

"Aye, it is ripe," agreed Stoick in a grim voice.

"Spitelout found Johann's ship in the docks. It was outfitted for dragon hunting, so we destroyed it. Any sign of him or Viggo?" asked Gobber as they cautiously made their way down the hallway.

Stoick grunted. "I ran into to Krogan. He won't be capturing anyone again."

Astrid eyed the bloody hammer in the man's hand. "Stormfly and I took out several guards, but no sign of Viggo or Johann yet."

"That would be because we are in here, guarding our most important asset," responded an arrogant voice they knew all too well.

"Viggo Grimborn." Astrid marveled at Stoick's ability to make the hunter's name sound like the worst of curses.

"Stoick the Vast," returned Viggo as he stepped into the light of a burning torch, revealing his heavily scarred face and blind eye. "I had decided that you weren't going to come. I think I can safely say that your precious son had come to the same conclusion."

Just then a scream rent through the air. "NO! Odin, let me die!" A wet, hacking cough disrupted the sobs that choked the plea.

"HICCUP!" cried Astrid. There was the slam of a cell door followed by the sound of someone running further down the corridor, and Astrid readied her axe for battle.

Viggo smiled as he produced a sword. "I saw the hickey, Astrid," he taunted. "Most inappropriate behavior for an unmarried couple of your status, don't you think?"

Astrid yelled and charged the man. "I will kill you!" she promised, snarling, and brought her axe down. Viggo blocked her attack, but Gobber had come on the other side of him and delivered a crushing blow to the man's left arm. Viggo roared in pain and swung his sword wildly. Astrid and Gobber pressed the man hard. Viggo fought with his brain, though, instead of his instincts, which was something Astrid had spent years training out of Hiccup. In the end, Viggo's tactic to think through every move proved to be his downfall, and the battle only lasted a minute or so. Gobber backed him into a wall. Astrid looked him square in the eye and buried her axe in his chest. "To the clutches of Hel with you," she whispered as the light left his eyes.

Stoick and Snotlout had already headed in the direction of Hiccup's scream. Astrid pulled her blade from its victim and jogged to catch up. Gobber limped in behind her. Moments later, they found him. One lantern burned low in the far corner of the cell. It was the only one lit in the entire place. At first, no one saw him, then Hiccup moaned, and four sets of eyes were drawn to lump along the center of the back wall. Astrid gasped at the sight of him. "Hiccup…Oh gods…What did they do to you?" She jerked on the door of the cell, but it was locked. She yanked again, desperate tears welling in her eyes. "No! No! No! It's locked! I can't open it!"

Strong hands grasped her shoulders and pulled her away from the door, and Stoick stepped up to it. Astrid twisted and jerked to escape "Let him," Snotlout spoke quietly from just behind her. His uncharacteristic gentleness broke through her panic, and she quit fighting his grip.

She nodded and wiped her eyes with a sniff. She watched as Stoick sheathed his hammer, grasped the door above and below the lock, planted his feet, and with a tug that Astrid swore she could feel, he broke the locking mechanism entirely and opened the door. The group rushed inside. The smell was so strong and the sight so gruesome that Snotlout made a mad dash right back to the hallway where he lost his lunch.

Hiccup was lying on a metal grate. He had no shirt on. A festering wound on his side was caked in dry blood and dirt. His arms were stretched above his head chained to the wall behind him. His wrists were raw and bloody from him tugging at them. His right shoulder was clearly broken if the bruise and odd shape were anything to go by. His legs were shackled to the ground. He still had his pants, but the legs had been ripped off at the knees. His stump was a matted mess of blood and dirt. He moaned and tossed his head weakly. A dark bruise was spread across his cheek. His lips were colorless and cracked. His sallow complexion only accentuated the weight he had lost. The stains on his pants were proof that he had not been allowed to use a chamber pot. Astrid shook with horror and rage. She almost wanted to bring Viggo back to life just so she could kill him again - slower.

Stoick brushed Hiccup's hair back from his face. "Gobber, can you get the chains off him?" he asked in a thick voice.

"Aye, chief," he answered gruffly. He bit his tongue between his teeth and squinted at his hammer hand, then slowly, he pulled a pin from where the head was fastened to the handle. Once he had done that, he made quick work of picking the locks. Once they had Hiccup free from the shackles, they eased him off the grate. Hiccup cried out when they touched his back, and a further inspection revealed blistered and weeping burns. Astrid looked down to get her bearings, only for her gaze to fall into a shallow pit that was under the grate. Ashes littered the inside of the pit.

"Snotlout! Get back in here! We need your help," called the chief. Then he turned to her. "Astrid, you need to go back outside to check the dragons-″

"But-″

"No buts," he instructed firmly. Then, his gaze softened, and he sighed and lowered his voice. "He's in a bad way, lass. We must clean him up some. We'll be out soon. If Gothi, Fishlegs, Dagur, or Tuffnut is out there, send them in with any medical supplies we have with us, but give them warning. Otherwise, yell for Snotlout."

Astrid knew Stoick was right. She shouldn't be in there while they completely disrobed Hiccup and cleaned him of his own filth, but she also didn't want to leave him. She looked at his face grimacing from pain and nightmares, swallowed her protests, kissed his forehead, and ran back out of the prison.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Fair warning, I made liberal use of artistic license in this chapter. If things aren't historically accurate, and I can basically guarantee that they aren't, that would be the reason why. I have tried not to wander too far off the reservation, though, and based my plot around the idea that Berk seems more modern than what we know of actual Viking society (though, in some cases, it was pretty modern itself). Just do me a favor and roll with the stretched truth. I hope you enjoy this chapter. It was tough but enjoyable to write.

HTTYD RTTE HTTYD RTTE HTTYD RTTE

Nine days later, Hiccup carefully dressed in a new green tunic and green breeches, secured his right arm in a sling, tucked his peg leg in a satchel, and rode Toothless out of the hut. The dragon was slow and cautious as he carried his Rider down to the forge. "Thanks, bud," Hiccup said quietly as he eased himself to the ground and secured a crutch under his arm.

"And look who we have here," Gobber exclaimed as he came around the corner. He smiled brightly and nudged Hiccup to a stool off to the side near the back room. Toothless followed with no concern for whether he was allowed or not.

"Hi, Gobber," Hiccup answered as he sat down and put his bag on the floor beside him.

Gobber flipped through his various hand attachments until he found a clamp. "Yur looking a mite better than yeh were a few days ago," he observed. "But are yeh sure yeh should be out yet?"

Hiccup smiled a bit as he scratched Toothless behind his ears. "Today's the trial. I wanted to clear my head before it begins," he admitted. "I've got some ideas for my new leg and armor that I thought I could work on for a while, if you don't mind me being in here."

"Nah, I do nae mind, but what does yur betrothed say about it?" he asked, quirking his brow as he pulled a hot sword from the fire and pointing towards the doorway with his head.

"She says that he should be resting, but she knows he's too stubborn to listen to sensible advice like that," came a falsely exasperated voice from the door.

Hiccup turned to see Astrid walking into the forge, and he couldn't help the smile that broke across his face at the beautiful sight of her. She was trying to look stern, but her eyes were shining while the corners of her mouth twitched. She rubbed the top of Toothless's head, sauntered over, and pressed a quick kiss on Hiccup's lips. "Hey, babe," she whispered quietly.

"Milady," he greeted. She hopped up on the table beside his stool. "How are you this morning?"

"Better, now that I've found my boyfriend," she answered with a smirk. "Luckily, the twins saw you come in here, so I didn't have to get worried when I couldn't find you at home."

Hiccup gestured vaguely in the direction of his hut. "I left a note. It's right there, plain as day, in the middle of the table. I just had to get out, and I thought here would be a good place. Gobber's keeping an eye on me. Aren't you, Gobber?" he yelled out to the blacksmith.

"Nobody can keep an eye on yeh, lad. We jus' try to keep you distracted, an' hope that when that fails, yeh don' find too much trouble teh get into," Gobber answered, completely straight-faced, removing the clamp from his arm.

Astrid threw her head back and laughed. Hiccup rolled his eyes. "Oh, hardy, har, har. I'm not that bad," he grumbled.

Astrid ran her fingers through his hair. "Yes, you are, but we love you anyway."

Gobber attached his hammer to his arm. "She loves yeh. I tolerate yeh," he corrected.

"The feeling's mutual," Hiccup called out. Gobber waved distractedly over his shoulder and began to hammer the sword. Hiccup twisted in his seat to the table and pulled some sheets of parchment out of his satchel. Then he looked at Astrid and raised his eyebrows. "Now, while I do think you have a very nice rear and enjoy looking at it, you're going to have to scoot it further down the table because I have no room to work with you setting right there."

Astrid choked on air and laughed. "Gods, Hiccup! Gobber is right there!" she pointed to the man in question.

"Not news teh me, lass," he yelled over the clanging of the hammer. "He's been staring at yur backside since he was twelve years old. I quit counting how many times I had teh drag him away from the window just get him teh actually do some work."

Hiccup groaned and thumped his forehead on the tabletop. "For the love of Thor…"

Astrid laughed. "I think you mean Freya."

"Shut up, Astrid," he returned, the perfect imitation of Snotlout.

Astrid hopped down, still laughing. She picked his head up from the table and kissed him soundly. When they pulled apart, they were both smiling like idiots. She ran her hands through his hair, again. "I'm glad you're feeling better. I've missed you." She gave him another quick kiss, straightened, and pointed at him. "You stay here and behave. I've got to go put our newest recruits through some drills. I'll come back before the trial starts."

Hiccup gave her a smile and turned to his schematics as she walked out the door.

HTTYD RTTE HTTYD RTTE HTTYD RTTE

Hiccup worked on his plans, some were for him, just like he had said, but most were for a surprise project he hoped he would be able to complete soon. He was so engrossed in his work that he barely noticed when Gobber was called away to help prepare for the trial around midmorning.

Astrid showed up at the forge about an hour after Gobber left, but she wasn't the only one. The rest of the Riders followed her in. All of them were dressed in their best clothes. They carried freshly sharpened and polished weapons, and even their dragons, who stood outside, looked like they had just been bathed.

"Hiccup! You're up!" greeted Tuffnut as he bounded around Gobber's anvil.

Hiccup laughed. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm out of the house today."

"Are you sure you should be, though?" asked Fishlegs as he wrung his fingers in front of his belt. "I mean some of your injuries were pretty severe."

"I'm fine, Fishlegs. If I had stayed in, I would have gone stir crazy. Besides, I needed Gobber's input on a few things I'm designing, and I couldn't very well get that while stuck in my hut."

"Oh, Thor! He's designing stuff again," Snotlout lamented, rolling his eyes and crossing his arms.

"Hey, so long as he designs something cool for me, I'm good with it," commented Ruffnut.

"Well, he can't design you anything cool unless he designs something cooler for me," insisted Tuffnut.

Ruffnut shoved her brother's head. "It was my idea, so I get the cooler thing!"

Tuffnut got back in her space. "And I'm the man, so I get the cooler thing. Bro Code, you know, so you get the sucky thing, and I get the cool thing."

"And to think I was going to say I missed hanging out with you guys," Hiccup interrupted, shaking his head with a smile as he packed away his notebook and charcoal.

Astrid gingerly squeezed his left shoulder, being careful to not irritate the still tender burns. "Guys, just shut up. We don't have time for this. We need to get him ready for the trial. Stoick says its's starting in a few minutes."

"Yeah, so where's your leg?" Snotlout asked rummaging through a shelf of spades and pick-axes.

Hiccup quirked his eyebrows and shook his head. "Well, it's not where we keep the farm tools."

Snotlout moved away from the shelf. "How was I supposed to know that? I don't work here! And I'm not a farmer. I'm a warr-i-or, Hiccup. You should know that about me by now."

Fishlegs gave the man a blank face. "Yes, Snotlout, your prowess as a warrior is only preceeded in fame by your girlish screams in the face of anything dangerous or frightening."

Ruffnut snickered and slugged Fishlegs on the shoulder. "Good one!"

"Shut up, Guppylegs," retorted Snotlout.

Astrid threw up her hands. "Enough! We're running out of time. Hiccup, didn't you remake that automatic tailfin for Toothless a couple of years ago?"

Hiccup nodded. "Yeah…Why?"

"Because we're going to make a statement with our entrance, so where is it?"

Hiccup pointed to the back room. "In there, under the table in a crate. It's wrapped in leather to keep it clean and dry, but since it's like four feet long, it's hard to miss."

Astrid nodded. "Good. Fishlegs go find it." Fishlegs scurried off to do as bid. "Snotlout, go get my saddlebag off of Stormfly, and don't drop anything." Snotlout grumbled under his breath but turned to leave. "Ruff, Tuff…What did you do with that sword?"

"We gave it to Gobber last week," answered Ruffnut with a shrug.

Tuffnut was twisting his finger in his ear. "Yeah, that's what you told us to do with it. 'Give it to Gobber so he take care of it.' It's like you don't trust us, Astrid," he said, pulling his finger out of his ear and inspecting the wax on the end of it.

"I don't trust you guys – at least not for sharpening and polishing a weapon. The last time you did that, the weapon came back half the size it had been and too slick to get a good grip on." She looked around the forge and pointed to the far wall where a variety of completed and repaired weapons were hanging ready to be returned to their owners. "Alright, so it should be on that wall. Find Hiccup's sword. And, Hiccup, where is your leg?"

Hiccup pulled his bag towards him as the twins ran off to the wall to complete their task. "Here it is," he answered as he handed her the false foot.

She took it from him just as Snotlout returned with her saddlebag. She grabbed that and rummaged through it, producing a jar that Hiccup recognized as his ointment for bruises and aching muscles. He kept it in constant supply for his leg mostly, but with all that the Riders got into, he used it for far more than just that and for far more than just himself. She also pulled out a brand new sock and handed it to him. "Hold that for a minute," she said, as she knelt down and rolled his pant leg up to his knee. The sock was extra thick and incredibly soft, and somehow it had been knitted in such a way that it did not have any seams on the bottom. He gently fingered the sock, knowing that Astrid had made it herself, and he smiled down at the top of her head. She unwrapped his wounded stump and began to rub on the ointment.

"Okay, this is way to lovey-dovey for me. I'm going outside with Hookfang," Snotlout announced before he promptly walked out of the forge.

"You don't have to do that," Hiccup whispered.

Astrid continued her work of rewrapping the leg. "I want to," she replied easily. "Besides, you can't do it. You've got a broken shoulder."

"I can do…some of it," Hiccup insisted.

Astrid made a grabby hand gesture towards the sock, and he handed it to her. "I'm sure you'll think of a way to repay me later." She looked up and winked at him as she grabbed the leg from the table.

Hiccup smiled and hummed as she gently pulled the sock onto his stump and attached the leg.

"Is this it, Hiccup?" Fishlegs asked walking out of the back room with a large package in his arms.

Hiccup looked at the item and nodded. "Yeah, that's it. Do you need me to help you get it on him?"

"Nah, I think I got it," he answered as he passed the couple. "Come on, Toothless. We need to put this on you. Now, I know you don't like it, but it's just for today…" His voice trailed off as he and the night fury started away. Toothless turned back at the door, worry lingering in his eyes. Hiccup smiled and waved him on out the door, and Toothless reluctantly left.

"FOUND IT!" announced Tuffnut. He and Ruffnut came rushing over from where they had been searching the wall for the sword and held out the newly sharpened and polished Dragon Blade to Hiccup.

Astrid stood up, and Hiccup took the weapon. "I didn't think I would ever see this again," he admitted.

"Lucky for you, we found it, just like we found Johann. Actually, we found them together. You know, in the forest. Trying to make a break for it," Tuffnut said.

Ruffnut nodded and crossed her arms. "Yeah, but a little gas and a little spark, and we had him. You're welcome."

Hiccup smiled. "Thanks, guys." He put the sword on the table, and braced himself to stand on his sore leg as the twins left the building.

"And just what do you think you're doing?" Astrid asked.

"Uh…Standing up?"

"I never said I was done with you. Stay there," she commanded.

"Okay," Hiccup agreed, relaxing back onto his stool. She produced a comb and two small hair ties from her bag and began working the comb through his hair. Hiccup closed his eyes and leaned against the table. "Mmm…"

Astrid giggled. "Does that feel nice?"

"It's going to put me to sleep, which wouldn't be bad," Hiccup admitted.

She started tugging on a small piece of his hair behind his ear. "I knew you should have stayed at home. It's not been that long since we rescued you."

"I'll be fine," he assured her.

She started on the second braid. "I've heard that recently, too."

He felt her tie off the braid, turned around, and took her hands in his own. "I know. I know," he whispered. "But this time…This time it's a trial. My dad is here. Gobber is here. The gang is here…You're here. I'll be fine. I know it."

Astrid closed the distance between them and kissed him urgently. "Don't ever go anywhere without us, again," she whispered as she pulled back.

Hiccup ran a finger down her cheek. "We'd better get out there before they come in here." She nodded and helped him stand.

Walking was slow. His stump did hurt. The fresh cuts were healed enough for the weight, and the extra padding with the bandages and the sock helped. He only had to get out the door, though, and then he could ride Toothless the rest of the way.

Catcalls and whistles greeted him as he exited the forge, courtesy of the twins. "H, my man! I'm liking the green. It brings out your eyes and pairs well with your russet colored hair and freckles," Tuffnut observed.

"Uh…Thanks…I think," Hiccup responded as he limped to Toothless.

"It's a lot of the same color, though," Ruffnut went on. "It needs some brown, like a tan color, not too dark, to go with his complexion."

"Yeah, and some black would be cool, too. Make him look fierce, and hey, he'll match T," added Tuffnut.

Ruffnut climbed onto her saddle. "But I do miss the red, so like accessorize with red. I'm thinking maybe a shoulder guard-″

"Not that Hiccup's wardrobe isn't a fascinating topic, but can we just go?" interrupted Snotlout.

Hiccup got settled on Toothless as best as he could since the dragon had no saddle. Fishlegs had tied a rope around Toothless's chest for Hiccup to hold, but considering that he was normally attached to his dragon by a locking mechanism on his left foot, two safety cables at his waist, and a slip stirrup for his right foot, sitting bare back with only a rope to hold was unnerving. He wrapped the rope around his good hand twice and steeled his nerves for the short flight. "Snotlout's right, guys. We need to get to the Great Hall. Dad won't be pleased if we're late." He leaned forward and felt the muscles in his dragon's back bunch up, ready for the signal to fly. "Slow and easy, bud," he reminded the night fury. Toothless warbled in consent and leapt into the air.

Four other dragons followed, and Astrid was immediately by his side. "By the way," she yelled, "we're going to the Academy."

"Why?"

"So we can make an entrance, remember?" She winked at him and pulled away a bit. "Diamond formation, everyone! Let's remind the Archipelago who they're dealing with!" she called to the other Riders.

Immediately the group was in formation and flying across the village. Though, for his sake, the flight was much slower than normal, Hiccup knew they were an intimidating sight. Five clean, fire-breathing dragons with their Riders, who were wearing their best clothes and wielding freshly sharpened and polished weapons, flying in as a single team would make even the toughest Viking think twice about attacking.

They made a circle around the Academy to the cheers of the Berkians in the stands and landed as a solid group in the center of the ring. The shouts were deafening. Hiccup climbed off Toothless and stood, without aid beside his dragon. His father was only feet from him, his eyes twinkling with pride, and Hiccup knew that their entrance had been exactly what his dad wanted.

"Dragon Riders!" boomed Stoick's voice. "Thank you for coming! Lead your dragons to the open pens in the back of the Ring and take your places among the witnesses, we will begin the trial."

Fishlegs, being the in the back of the formation, led them into the pens, where the Riders instructed the dragons to stay. A simple livestock-style gate was closed across the pen to keep the dragons from interrupting the trial, yet they would still be able to see and hear their Riders.

The team let Hiccup set the pace as they made their way to their seats. Knowing the game, though, not one of them – not even Astrid – offered to help him walk. His legs were shaking, and he was sweating by the time he sat in his chair. However, under the watchful eyes of visiting chiefs, their heirs, and their small retinues of advisors, he had walked the whole distance on his own power, and that image was more important than his comfort. When Gobber passed down a water skin a few moments later, though, Hiccup made a mental note to thank the man when the trial was over.

Stoick stood from his seat at the front of the Academy, and the crowd went silent. "Bring in the accused!" he ordered.

The smallest dragon pen in the ring was opened, and flanked by Spitelout, Bucket, and Mulch, Johann was frog marched to his chair near the center of the ring. His hands were bound in front of him. After he was seated, his feet were tied to the chair's legs. Hiccup hadn't seen the man since before he was rescued, and while Johann did look a bit worse for wear, Hiccup knew that he had been given daily rations and outhouse privileges at the very least. He was also still fully clothed, not in his normal three layers, but he wasn't left in only cut-off pants for sure. Not to mention, the man's lack of visible injuries, unlike Hiccup who had one arm in a sling and had to limp across the Academy at a snail's pace.

"Fellow chiefs, heirs, and villagers of the Barbaric Archipelago," greeted Stoick. "I asked you here today to bring you evidence that this man we have all trusted and befriended for over a decade is a man who from his first moments within our waters, planned to betray us all. We welcomed him onto our shores, into our villages, and even into our homes and mead halls. He supped with us, laughed with us, exchanged tales of valor with us, and traded with us. All the while, he was gaining our trust and friendship just to find a way to destroy us and our way of life. I have invited you here today to bear witness to justice being served, for this very fiend we deemed a friend has recently tricked my own son and heir Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III kidnapped, tortured, and nearly killed him in a plot to destroy Berk of the Hairy Hooligan Tribe before moving on to take over and destroy every village in our Archipelago."

"I hereby charge the man known as Johann the Trader with the kidnap, torture, and attempted murder of a Barbaric chief's heir and with treason against all of the tribes of the Archipelago," Stoic announced to the stunned crowd.

Johann panned the room, and when his gaze met Hiccup's, Hiccup could taste the bitter flavor of the elixir Johann had poured into him half a dozen times over the course of his imprisonment. His stomach turned, and as if by thinking of the vile potion, he had summoned it, he could feel panic clouding his thoughts. He took another sip from the water skin, but it did little for his sudden nerves. He focused on his breathing. Whatever happened, he had to hold himself together. The eyes of the entire Archipelago were on him. The future of Berk depended on him not appearing weak in this moment.

Despite his efforts, disjointed memories flitted through his mind. Images of his family and friends dying gruesome deaths. Words full of anger and hatred directed at him bounced around his brain. Memories of pain, of burning, of being hit, chained, and sliced pushed to the forefront of his mind. Things he wasn't sure were even real or not bombarded him, and he struggled to keep his composure. A mantra of "Find Toothless. Find Toothless. Find Toothless," ran through his head at an increasing speed, and it was all he could do to keep his seat instead of running for the nearest exit on the back of his faithful dragon.

Then, Astrid's hand was on his right knee. Just there. She was alternately tightening and loosening her grip in slow intervals. He didn't know why, but he focused on it, counting the seconds of each grip and release in his mind. _One, two, three, four, five. One, two, three, four, five._ Soon he was breathing in time with it. Then his thoughts were slowing down. The panic was receding. At last he blinked and exhaled through his nose, and he could think again. He reached across with his left hand and squeezed her hand. She stroked his palm with her thumb, and he moved his hand. She gave him a final pat and took her hand back. Not once had she drawn attention to him. She stayed riveted to the proceedings of the trial, and Hiccup thanked the gods for what must have been the thousandth time for bringing them together.

Hiccup tuned in to the trial as Stoick began laying out the evidence for the charges against Johann. Stoick pulled out a piece of parchment. "First, we have the message that Johann sent to Hiccup asking him to meet at Sparrow Haven, an uninhabited island near the Berkian base Dragon's Edge, a week's sail north of here. In the note, Johann claimed that I had sent a package with him to deliver to my son the last time he visited Berk in exchange for a tariff-free trading visit to Berk. He claimed his ship was damaged in a storm. He claimed he was behind on his route. None of this was true. Johann has not been on a trading visit to Berk all season, and I never entrusted him with a package for Hiccup. His ship wasn't damaged in a storm. He was waiting to ambush Hiccup. While, I suppose it is true that he was behind on his trading route, it is only because he never began it."

Murmurs in the crowd could be heard, and many of those watching were giving Johann the side-eye. It was a lot to take it, but just that note was enough to cast suspicion, especially to the Berkians who knew that the man had not been to their island since the previous season.

Stoick raised his hands for quiet, and the murmurs died down. "Now, the second piece of evidence for these charges is from Berk's elite team of Dragon Riders. When Hiccup failed to return the base by the time he said he would, the rest of the team went searching for him. A search of Sparrow Haven turned up the burnt remains of the night fury's riding gear. Due to his missing tailfin, Toothless has a specialized rigging that Hiccup built for him so that he can fly. Toothless is protective of his gear and will rarely let anyone adjust or remove it unless it is Hiccup. It had all been removed from him and tossed into a bonfire. Furthermore, the Riders discovered Hiccup's specialized false foot that allows him to fly Toothless. They also found evidence of dragon hunters having hid behind the trees waiting to ambush my son, and there were signs that a ship the size of Johann's had been anchored at the natural harbor of the island.

"All five of these Dragon Riders have proven their dedication to the uncovering and fighting for the truth, from their very first mission of killing the Red Death, the mountain-sized dragon that was using a queen bee kind of mind control to have the dragons raid our villages. The Riders have aided our allies and brought about peace between us and our enemies many times over the past five years. They have even come to the rescue of Johann himself on several occasions, teaching him how to use terrible terrors to send messages, and compensating him for any times they have come to him for aid or information. They have never used any one for ill or abused their privileges or their power."

More murmurs rose up from the crowd against Johann, and a few cheers went up the for the Riders. Hiccup thought his chest might burst with pride in hearing his father's praise of Hiccup's team. He sometimes forgot, living with them day in and day out, how butt-kicking awesome they were. They were as crazy as a flock of terrors most days, but they were also the best defensive group that he knew of.

Stoick cleared his throat. "If I could get some silence!" he demanded, and the crowd quieted. "Good, now, the evidence. When Berk's Dragon Riders, Auxiliary Riders, and Chief Dagur and his sister Heather of Berserker Island came to the dragon hunter base, we discovered that Viggo Grimborn and his allies had been planning an attack. Their ships were prepared to sail. Their Dragon Fliers had their team of singetail dragons readied with bits and harnesses, and the base was full of hunters to man the ships. I myself fought the man Krogan, leader of the Dragon Fliers, and he boasted of the plans to attack Berk, destroy our forces, kill our people, and capture our dragons before moving on to the rest of the Archipelago. He readily admitted that he was working not only with Viggo Grimborn but also Trader Johann to accomplish this plan. I killed him soon after in hand to hand combat.

"Berk's blacksmith Gobber the Belch, rider of a hot burble dragon, discovered Johann's ship among the fleet preparing for the attack. He and the Auxiliary Riders inspected the ship and found that it had been outfitted for war against us and our dragons. It, along with the rest of the fleet was destroyed.

"Ruffnut and Tuffnut Thornston spotted Johann himself trying to escape the base. He had Hiccup's specially designed sword the Dragon Blade on his person. Its unique qualities would fetch a hefty price. He also had a bag of gold and a jar of an elixir that our healer has identified as a powerful Celtic potion meant to induce waking nightmares of the worst sort. It is frequently used for torture by the Celts. The scent of this same potion was on Hiccup's breath when we discovered him, and he spent a solid twelve hours after our rescue of him locked in those nightmares. He has since confirmed it to be the potion that Johann, Krogan, and Viggo drugged him with during his imprisonment.

"When Fearless Astrid Hofferson, Gobber the Belch, Snotlout Jorgenson, and I did finally find Hiccup, we found him chained, beaten, drugged, nearly naked, sick, and dehydrated. In the course of the search of the prison, Astrid and Gobber battled and killed Viggo Grimborn after he admitted to imprisoning and torturing Hiccup with the intent to kill him. Gothi, a member of our Auxiliary Riders, the best healer in Berk, and our village elder, declared that Hiccup would not have lasted longer than another day, had we not found him. After he was able to talk to us, he told us that Johann had been in on his capture from the start. He said Johann openly admitted that he has been paid from the very beginning, twelve years ago, to find out our weaknesses, to gain our trust, and he has been passing along information to his boss.

"I bring all this evidence before the Berkian council, this gathering of Barbaric chiefs, and the people of Berk with the recommendation to execute the traitor," Stoick finished.

A cacophony of voices broke out. Anger was the predominate tone, but Hiccup couldn't tell whether they were angry with Stoick or with Johann. Most of the Berkians were glaring at Johann's direction, but it was the guests who were looking between Stoick and Johann with suspicion. Many were cutting their eyes to him, too. He sat straight and stoic, as if just the mere sight of Johann minutes ago hadn't sent him into a minor panic attack, as if he weren't still forcing half-remembered delusions and real memories to the back of his mind.

At last Alvin stood up, and the crowds quieted. "I say, we 'ear from 'iccup 'addock. Let 'im tell us 'is story."

Stoick's face looked carved from rock. "I've told yeh what Hiccup told me. We don't need to put him through remembering it, again."

Alvin rounded on Stoick. "'e's a grown man, ain't 'e? We can't be expected teh make a wise decision without 'earin' from the actual participants, so 'iccup tells 'is side. Then, Johann tells 'is side. Then, we decide if the trader lives or dies. That's only fair, Stoick."

Stoick stood up so fast that he upended his chair. "Are yeh saying I'm not trustworthy, Alvin the Treacherous?" he demanded.

Alvin growled and leaned towards Stoick. Hiccup could see this was not going to end well for anyone and got to his feet. The strange hop, skip, running maneuver that he used to scamper into the center of the Academy to stand between his father and Alvin was humiliating, but he ignored it. He held up his left arm, panning from one man to the other, making eye contact with each one as he did so. "Dad, it's okay. You asked them here to pronounce judgement on Johann. Alvin's right. It's only fair that they hear the story straight from the dragon's mouth, so to speak. I'll…I'll tell them what I remember." He bore his gaze into his father's, trying to convey what they both knew. Alvin wasn't so much interested in hearing Hiccup's side of the story. If Hiccup didn't tell it, though, Alvin would brand him a coward and mark him and subsequently Berk as easy pickings before Hiccup's chiefdom even began. For the sake of his and Berk's reputation, Hiccup had to answer Alvin's challenge.

After a moment, Stoick deflated. "Then, the floor is yours', son." He turned and righted his chair. Alvin's grin was malicious as he took his own seat.

Hiccup cast a glance at Astrid. She met his gaze and gave a minute nod, and Hiccup took a breath to compose himself before he addressed the crowd. Shoving his emotions deep into the pit of his stomach and focusing only on the facts and the solid memories that he had of his capture and imprisonment, he relayed his story to the crowd. He studiously kept from looking at Johann because he knew that would be his undoing. If he began to falter, he would meet the gaze of a Rider, Toothless, Gobber, or his dad. The solid support in their faces would buoy him on for the next bit of the tale. At last, he had said his piece, and he finally locked a fierce gaze on Johann. He took a step to the man. A part of him took an almost sick satisfaction at seeing the traitor cower before him. "What is your defense, Johann, in the face of this damning evidence?"

Johann cringed, lowered his eyes, and bowed his head, looking for all the world like the fearful, mild-mannered man that the entire Archipelago had known for years, and Hiccup knew in that moment that getting the council of chiefs to convict him of his crimes was going to be an uphill battle. He stayed resolute, though, and kept his hard stare trained on the man in question. He had faced down bigger, scarier enemies than the likes of Johann and had won. He wasn't about to start losing now.

At last, Johann turned his nervous gaze on the crowd. "Barbaric Chiefs, Berkians, and others, I know how things must seem to you. This evidence is especially damning to me, as Master Hiccup has pointed out. I regret that I cannot deny my part in recent…events, shall we say? But," he called louder as the furious grumbles rose in response to his admission. "But, I do have a defense."

Johann turned his head, giving Hiccup a pleading look that Hiccup had seen plastered on the man's face more times than he could count over the years. "Master Hiccup, I must first apologize profusely for my part in your torment, for indeed, it was torment. The memories shall haunt me until my dying day, and I will forever regret the suffering you endured because of my actions. However, I had no choice...I was under duress! Viggo Grimborn and his henchman Krogan forced me to do what I did. They attacked and commandeered my ship, imprisoned me in my own vessel, beat me, stole my goods, and swore to kill me if I did not act the part. They used me to get to you. You've known me since you were nothing more than a slip of a boy looking to endear yourself to your fellow villagers. Have I not always treated you with utmost respect and kindness, even aiding you in your endeavors over the years, gathering materials for your ingenious inventions, going into dangerous situations that I – a humble, untrained story-teller and trader of trinkets – had no business being?"

He cast his gaze to the rest of the audience. "You all know me – have known me for twelve long years. Have I never been anything but a friend to each of you? You must believe me when I say that I would never seek to harm any of you, especially a chief's young heir. Please, I beg you, give me the benefit of the doubt this one time, and I shall seek to regain your trust through arduous work. Though, undoubtedly, it shall take me years to rebuild the bonds of friendship I have previously so enjoyed all around the Barbaric Archipelago."

The crowds murmured amongst themselves, and the council of chiefs bent their heads towards one another considering the trader's words. Hiccup could sense the change of mind in the air. He met Johann's eyes, again, and for a brief moment, he saw it – the sneer of triumph. Johann knew he had broken through their doubts. That spurred Hiccup on, and he refused to let that be the end of it. He had nearly died by this man's hands. He had seen the unmasked hate and derision in Johann's eyes, the delight at Hiccup's suffering, and Hiccup knew that was the true Johann, not this character he had played for over a decade. The character was good, but if you had twelve years to perfect it, it would be good. It was still just as false as Hiccup's left foot, however.

Hiccup straightened. His bad leg was aching, and his head was starting to pound. He ignored all of that, though, and turned back to the chiefs. "Chiefs and fellow heirs," he called. The voices quieted, and the chiefs turned to him. "Before you make a decision, allow me to ask this prisoner a few questions, for clarity." He eyed Alvin, who frowned in response. "After all, you want to make a wise decision with the most information at your disposal, do you not, Chief Alvin?"

Alvin narrowed his eyes, not enjoying having the tables turned on him. "Aye, boy, tha' we do."

"Good," Hiccup answered, turning to face Johann again. "You say, Trader Johann, that you were forced to do Viggo and Krogan's bidding. Correct?"

Johann paused before nodding slowly. "Uh, yes, Master Hiccup. That is what happened."

Hiccup turned to Spitelout. "Spitelout Jorgenson, you are my father's general over the Berk Guard and an honored member of the Auxiliary Riders. Part of your duties, as a leading man in Berk's military defense, is to see to the prisoners we have on the island. You are to question them, assign them a cell, feed them, and make sure their basic needs are met, such as outhouse privileges and a blanket if it's cold and clothes if they have none. Part of this is also to search them for weapons and inspect them for any injuries or diseases when they come into your custody. So, I would like to know, when you did your inspection of Johann, did you find any evidence that suggested that he had recently been beaten and imprisoned by such violent men as Viggo Grimborn and Krogan?"

Spitelout stood up, self-importance rolling off him in waves. He crossed his arms, spat in the dirt beside him, and lazily looked at Johann. "Ah…Nope, boy-o. He has no scars to prove that he has ever done anything even a little dangerous in his life. A pansy, that one is, just like I always knew."

"So no kind of marks to account for his story of being held prisoner and beaten in the bowels of his own ship?

"Not a one," confirmed Spitelout.

Hiccup nodded to Spitelout who took his que and sat, again. Then, Hiccup turned back to Johann. "Well, what do you say about that? No scars, no cuts, no bruises marring your hide to prove your story." He pulled up his left sleeve revealing his scab-covered and green-tinted wrist. He raised his left pant leg just enough to reveal the thick bandages and sock cushioning his stump and gently waved his right arm in Johann's direction.

Johann smiled self-depreciatingly. "Well, Master Hiccup…You-you know that I'm not the courageous warrior that you are. I am quite known for my valiant stories and my cowardly actions. I am ashamed to admit it, but I broke under Viggo and Krogan's tactics quite quickly, you see. It was less of an actual beating, and more of a…threat of a beating, to be completely honest," the man answered in a wavering voice.

Hiccup huffed and stepped closer to the man. "YOUR LIFE IS ON THE LINE, JOHANN! HONESTY IS PARMOUNT!" he roared. "Lying to this council while on trial is one of the surest ways to losing your head, Johann, and that is Viking law! A wise man would not toy with the collective Viking chiefs and heirs of the Barbaric Archipelago!"

Johann leaned back in his seat, his back straight, and his eyes wide. "Yes, Master Hiccup. You-you are correct. A stretching of the truth is a slight to those who hold my further existence in their hands. I shall only be honest from this point forth."

Hiccup glared at his adversary. No one else was close enough to the man to see the dare held in his eyes. He still thought he had this in the bag. His sniveling ways were winning over the minds of the people, but Hiccup knew he could get the truth out there, if only the chiefs would stay patient. Johann admitting to a lie was a point in Hiccup's favorite. "You had better stay honest, Johann. Remember, there are five fully grown dragons directly behind you, and all of them are willing to obey my command at a moment's notice." Real fear passed across Johann's face, and Hiccup had to catch his own smile. "Now, you say you're too cowardly to endure torture at the hands of Viggo and Krogan. Fine. I believe you. After all, I only need mention 'trade sanctions' to you, and suddenly you're a veritable fountain of information." Hiccup only just heard the huff of anger and saw the flash of disgust pass the man's face. A crack in the façade – finally. "Tell me, then, if you were so fearful of Viggo and Krogan, so broken up about the torture I _did_ endure by their hands, and such good friends to Stoick the Vast and the island of Berk, why did you not ever send a message to the Riders or Berk about the situation you were finding yourself – and eventually me – in? Surely you didn't think we would leave you unaided in such dire straits? Have we not proven to be fast and true friends?"

"Uh…Well…" Johann stammered. As he struggled to answer the question, the onlookers focused their accusing gazes on Johann. The tide was turning, again. Hiccup hoped the fickle minds around him wouldn't be swayed by the siren song that Johann no doubt was cooking up in his mind at that very moment. Those years of telling stories were serving him too well now.

At last, Johann took a settled breath and looked at Hiccup. "You must understand, Viggo and Krogan were hard masters. Their attack on my ship and imprisonment of me only occurred the day before I sent you that note. They, then, forced me – with threats to my life and well-being, of course – to write the note and send it off. They stood over me as I wrote it, read it before I sent it, and locked me up after the task was done. They only released me when they spotted you coming. Once you were there, well, they were hidden on the ship, listening to our entire conversation, waiting for me to separate you from your faithful dragon to ambush you both."

Hiccup's leg was screaming. His headache was starting to overpower his thought process. His side, shoulder, and back ached. He wanted to go home and sleep, but this wasn't over yet. He could rest later. This was a battle, as fierce as any he had ever fought. The future of his tribe – the whole Archipelago – was on the line. He would win. "You mean to tell me, that in the course of at least an entire week, you had not one chance to fire off a note to Berk or leave a single clue? Not one chance?"

"I am afraid not, Master Hiccup. As you know from your own experience, Viggo and Krogan were excellent captors once they had you."

Hiccup squared his shoulders and stared at the man before him. "Then why did you run?"

"What?" Johann squeaked.

"Why did you run, Johann? Ruffnut and Tuffnut told me themselves that they found you fleeing the battle at Viggo's base, that you were trying to escape with my sword and a bag full of gold. If you're the innocent man you say you are, why did you run the moment that your allies - your friends - arrived?" Hiccup could have heard a nail pin drop in the silence following the question.

Johann paled. "I-I told you, Master Hiccup...I am a coward, a weak-willed man, a trader of wares, and a teller of tales. I was scared, so I ran."

"I have known scared men, Johann. I have been a scared man, but not once have I known a scared man to run from his allies when they arrive to help. A scared man runs to his friends - not from them," Hiccup countered, his voice steady and sure.

Johann sat silent and still for a moment. The crowd was still waiting with bated breath for his response, but their expressions held no sympathy for the trader. Johann met Hiccup's firm scowl and narrowed his eyes. Traitor Johann had finally shown up for the trial. "You are nothing, Hiccup Haddock, nothing but a spoiled, pampered only child to a widowed chief. Regardless of what you do to me today, someday soon my boss will squash you like the irritating gnat that you are. You can mark my words. You will be the downfall of your ignorant village."

There was an explosion of shouts and jeers calling for Johann's immediate execution. Pandemonium broke out in the stands as people stood, raising their fists, and pressing against the railing. The dragons were roaring and pawing at the gate. Over the din, Hiccup heard Dagur's berserk laugh ring out. Stoick pounded his hammer against the metal edge of a shield all to no avail. At last, Hiccup looked at Toothless who was waiting for Hiccup's signal. Hiccup pointed to the wall above the doorway to the Academy. Toothless fired a plasma blast at the rock wall. The shouts stopped so suddenly that their echoes could be heard in the distance.

Stoick approached the center of the ring where Hiccup still had Johann pinned under his stare. The chief placed a hand on Hiccup's shoulder and gave a gentle tug. Hiccup took the hint, broke his gaze, and stepped away as his father addressed the council of chiefs. "We've heard it from the traitor's own mouth. What more do we need? I ask you, council of Barbaric chiefs, what judgement do you pass?"

The chiefs huddled together, whispering for a moment before turning back. Big-Boobied Bertha stepped forward. She planted herself feet from Stoick. "The council of chiefs pronounce Johann to be guilty of the kidnap, torture, and attempted murder of Hiccup Haddock, son of Stoick the Vast and heir to the throne of Berk. Johann is also guilty of treason against the entirety of the Barbaric Archipelago. He is hereby sentenced to death, to be carried out by three moons from now. The manner and time of his death is to be decided by Stoick the Vast, Chief of Berk."

Stoick nodded and pegged Johann with a stare. Johann sneered. "I won't betray my employer, so don't bother asking, Stoick."

Stoick turned to Hiccup. "Any last words, son?"

Hiccup looked straight at his tormentor. "I take no delight in seeing you killed, Johann, but I'll be cursed by Hel herself before I leave innocent people and dragons vulnerable to people such as you. It's just like I told you before. May the gods have mercy on your black soul because neither Berk, my father, nor I will."

Johann growled, but there was a light of pride in Stoick's eyes.

"Spitelout, have the traitor's last meal prepared and the bows and arrows inspected. We execute him tonight as the sun meets the horizon."

HTTYD RTTE HTTYD RTTE HTTYD RTTE

Hiccup twisted the cup of mead in his hands. Toothless was curled up and snoring in front of the fire pit. Hiccup's false foot was on the table beside him, his leg propped up on a pillow on the bench where he sat. Astrid had helped him get home and settled, but she had to leave to get ready for the execution. Only a select few people would be in attendance, and she and Hiccup were among the group. Hiccup did not want to go, but he knew it was important that he be there. Not only because he was Johann's victim, but also because he would be chief. One day, he would be issuing orders for executions, and he would have to attend them. It didn't stop him from feeling sick to his stomach.

The door opened, and Stoick walked in. He was unusually subdued as he walked over and served himself a large flagon of mead. He came and sat at the bench on the opposite of the table from Hiccup, leaving his large chair at the head of the table empty. It was something that Stoick did after a hard trial and judgement. Hiccup assumed that only he and Gobber knew about it. Hiccup was just thankful that the occurrence was a rare one. He could count on one hand the number of times his father had issued executions during his time as chief, and of those, Hiccup had been alive for three but could only actually remember two, if you included Johann's, which was technically a decision by the council of chiefs. Hiccup knew Stoick would count it as his own, though.

"It's days like today that I wish you weren't my son," Stoick began without preamble. Hiccup looked his father's bowed head and kept silent, letting the man speak. "Not because I'm not proud of you because I am, or because I wish you were someone else because I don't, or because you haven't made these past twenty years of my life worth living because you have." He paused and gathered his thoughts then began again, his voice quiet and brittle. "It's because I know the burden I'm passing on to you, a burden that I know will steal something from you every time it rears its ugly head, a burden I can't keep you from bearing. You have a goodness and compassion about you, son, that most simply don't possess. It's the thing about you that I often find I'm most proud of. Even when you were a lad, and I was frustrated about you lacking that fierce Viking spirit, it wasn't so much that I wanted you to change. It was that I didn't want this life to change you." There was another silent moment as Hiccup took in what Stoick was saying. At last his father looked up at him. "You're so much like Valka. You look like her. You've got her compassion, her bravery…her brain." He chuckled and looked back at the table. "What you did today at that trial – how you held and handled yourself, questioned Johann, your final words to him…I still hate that I'll be passing this duty on to you, but son," he met Hiccup's gaze once more. "I know that when I do, I'll be leaving this village in the best hands. You'll be a better chief than me, and that's even more than a father could ever ask of the gods."

HTTYD RTTE HTTYD RTTE HTTYD RTTE

Johann was tied to a post and, per his request, blindfolded. He had spoken his final words in his native tongue, which no one in attendance understood. The lots had been cast, and the three unlucky members of the Berk Guard were given their arrows. They, along with another three members of the guard, were hidden from view on one side of a single wall. No one other than the members of the Guard themselves would ever know who the executioners were, a secret they would take to their graves. Stoick, the visiting chiefs, Gothi, Hiccup, and Astrid stood on the other side, out of sight and out of range of the arrows.

Stoick stepped forward a pace. "Trader Johann, you have been convicted by a council vote of being a traitor to the Archipelago and attempting to be a murderer, both crimes you admitted to after you lied and tried to trick a council of tribal chiefs. Your atrocious crimes and lack of remorse have brought this judgement upon you. May the gods of Asgard have mercy on your soul and may they forgive us if we have erred. Archers, take aim...Release!"

There was the twang of bow strings as the arrows were fired, followed by the thumps of the arrows hitting their fatal marks. Johann cried out for the briefest moment before his voice cut off and his body went slack against the post.

HTTY RTTE HTTYD RTTE HTTYD RTTE

A/N: Part 4, the epilogue coming soon.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Here it is, Part 4. I like to call it an epilogue. Thanks for reading. And thank you for the support. Y'all are great.

HTTYD RTTE HTTYD RTTE HTTYD RTTE

Two months later, the Riders all stood at the doors of the stables on Dragon's Edge. They would be moving back to Berk in the morning. The ship with the bulk of their belongings had already left that afternoon, but the gang had stayed for one last hurrah. Hiccup's wounds were finally all healed. His shoulder, he had decided, would always have a twinge, and his stump would stay tender for a bit yet, but he was back to normal.

He had been busy during the last couple of weeks. Hunter activity was all but non-existent, as far as the Riders could tell. Most of them had been killed in the battle at Viggo's base, and with no leader left, the few who survived were laying low. None of the searches had turned up information on Johann's boss, so while Hiccup never let the threat stray too far from his thoughts, he decided that for now he would focus on other priorities. The first of those being, the official announcement of his and Astrid's betrothal and the party that would follow, which was scheduled to happen on Berk in one week. The second was what he had gathered the Riders for at this moment.

"So why did you make us all come over here, Hiccup? Hookfang and I have final memories to make," Snotlout complained.

Ruffnut laughed. "Uh yeah. It's not like we won't be spending thirty-two hours straight in each other's company after tonight. We should really take a breather from each other while we can."

Hiccup rolled his eyes and stood in front of the closed stable doors. "Guys, I promise this won't take long. Then, you're free for the night."

"Fine," Snotlout agreed. "But this better be good."

Hiccup clapped and rubbed his hands together. "It is, Snotlout. I promise. So, since this is our last night together on the Edge, I wanted to…commemorate the event. Once we get back to Berk, we'll be busy doing other things, new things, apart from each other, so this…this is sort of an end of an era. I'll be with my dad, learning how to be chief. Astrid will be joining the Berk Guard training with Spitelout. Fishlegs will be taking over the day to day running of the Dragon Academy. Snotlout will be training to take over the Dragon Riders, and Ruff and Tuff…you'll be doing…whatever it is you do best. With some luck, no one will die from that.

"But before we do that-″

"You said this would be quick," Snotlout interrupted. He crossed his arms and gave Hiccup a bored look.

"Let the man finish!" Astrid yelled.

Tuffnut leaned towards Ruffnut. "That's what she said," he whispered between snickers. Ruffnut laughed.

Astrid threw her axe. It sunk deep into the floor between the twins. "Shut it. Now."

Hiccup waved his arms in a calming manner. "Okay…Okay. I'm almost done. Just, seriously, guys, listen. We've had some great adventures, done some amazing things, seen some incredible places, learned about more dragons than even Bork knew about, made some true friends, and I really…I really couldn't be prouder of you guys…or more thankful. We've pulled it together and kept each other alive through all of this, as far back as the Red Death, even..." He trailed off as unbidden memories of heat on his back and hazy images of his friends locked in angry battles against their dragons flashed through his mind.

He shook his head, forced the thoughts away, and began again, his voice hoarse. "It's…it's certainly not always been easy or fun." His voice grew steadily stronger as he continued. "We've not always liked each other or gotten along, but you guys…and our dragons…We're an incredible team. What my dad said at the trial about us…about each of you…every bit was true, and I just…I just wanted to show my appreciation and send all of you on to your next 'great beyond' with a few things that I think will help you along your way." Hiccup turned and shoved on the door, rolling it open. He cupped his hand around his mouth and called inside, "Come on out! We're ready for you."

At his signal, all five dragons came out of the stables. Each of them were outfitted with new saddles. The saddles had back rests, stirrups, extra-large storage bags, weapon holsters, and handles. The paint was bright and fresh, and the metal polished and gleaming. Not only did the Riders have new saddles, but they each were also gifted new gronkle iron weapons of their preference that sat waiting for their new owners in their custom holsters.

Toothless padded up to Hiccup, nudging his hip. His new saddle had come first out of shear necessity, along with Hiccup's new foot and armor. The day he had stepped into the Clubhouse wearing the new armor, the twins had nearly fallen over with joy because he had used their ideas. Astrid, in an unusual display of public affection, had ran up to him and kissed him long and hard right in the middle of breakfast, which made Snotlout gag, the twins whistle, and Fishlegs blush.

Hiccup scratched his dragon's jaw and smiled at the flabbergasted looks and exclamations around him. He knew they would love the new gear, and he was glad to give it to them. They deserved it.

Fishlegs twisted around to look at Hiccup. "Is this what's kept you so busy the past two weeks?" He had his short-handled hammer in one hand and his wide dagger in the other, apparently pausing from inspecting the craftsmanship and design.

Hiccup smiled and nodded. "I thought you might enjoy showing back up in Berk with your new gear, so I had to get it done before we left Dragon's Edge."

Tuffnut was cradling his new spear like a proud new father cradling his infant. He held it out, adoration shining in his eyes. "It's beautiful…A magnificent spear on one end…A perfect bludgeon on the other…" He hugged the weapon to himself, closed his eyes, and began to sway.

Ruffnut was already swinging her new double-ended weapon. Like her brother's, one end was a spear, but the other was a miniature double-sided axe. Both Thorston weapons had a locking mechanism in the middle of the handle that allowed them to be used a single, long weapon or broke apart to be used as two short-handled weapons. If there was anything the twins loved more than chaos and destruction, it was variety in their chaos and destruction.

Snotlout was already lounging on his saddle admiring his new square-headed mace. The spikes on the mace were fewer in number but thinner and longer than on the average mace, which made it deadlier. "Not bad, cuz," he drawled, "but you do realize that the wood on this saddle is going to burn to ash the first time Hookfang lights himself on fire, right? Then, you'll have to build me a new one."

Hiccup walked over to Hookfang and Snotlout and stroked the dragon's neck. "Actually, it won't. I made a trade with Mala for a barrel of saliva from the Great Protector. The wood of the saddle has been soaked in it, and I also mixed some in with the paint. It will protect your saddle from catching fire."

Snotlout looked disgusted for a moment, but then he must have decided to let it go. "If something goes wrong, it's still on you, and don't you say I didn't warn you."

Hiccup rolled his eyes. "Sure, Snotlout." He left his cousin and stepped quietly to his betrothed. She was stroking Stormfly's flank absentmindedly as she turned her new axe over and over in her other hand, testing its weight, grip, and length. Hiccup grazed his fingers down her braid and fingered the bottom tip of hair. "So, do you think it will work?" he asked quietly.

She turned to look at him. Her smile was radiant. Her eyes were shining. "I think you're the best blacksmith I've ever met and the best boyfriend a girl could ask for." She tapped her finger on his chest. "But you were supposed to be resting and healing, not in that forge building new saddles and smithing new weapons for all of us."

Hiccup smiled and laughed, rubbing the back of his head and avoiding her gaze. "I…I was careful. I just wanted to say thank you…to all of you…especially after…" He trailed off, his eyes losing focus as his mind went back to that cold, dank cell.

She pulled him into a hug, and he froze for a moment at the sudden change from scolding to loving before relaxing into and returning her embrace. "I know," she whispered. "I just didn't want you to hinder the healing process for something that could have waited a little longer."

He kissed the top of her head and pulled back without entirely releasing her. "Well, I was going to be working anyway because I don't know if you've heard or not, but I'm supposed to have an official public gift to give to my betrothed at the announcement. I just figured I'd do it all at once."

Astrid pulled out of his arms with a groan. "Ugh…the public gift…Don't remind me…"

Hiccup laughed. "I'm not that hard to please, Astrid. It doesn't have to be something special – that's what the one from six months ago was about. This one is just something to symbolize the wife's role in the marriage. Seriously, most women gift their husbands-to-be with a cooking pot. It's more of a ceremonial tradition than anything."

"Yeah, yeah…" She turned away, distracting herself by checking the belt of the saddle.

Hiccup turned her around. "I mean it, Astrid. You agreeing to marry me is the only gift I need. Don't stress yourself out about finding me something 'perfect.'" He kissed her forehead and wandered back towards the doors of the stables to where Toothless was curled up watching the other Riders. Snotlout, Ruffnut, and Tuffnut were all chasing each other with their new weapons. Fishlegs was ducking behind Meatlug trying to not get caught up in the middle of the impromptu spar. The other two dragons were taking a que from Toothless and just watched their Riders impassively. Hiccup crossed his arms and leaned his weight on his good leg, watching his friends be carefree and normal as the sun drifted into the horizon.

HTTYD RTTE HTTYD RTTE HTTYD RTTE

A jaunty tune filled the air. People talking, laughing, and dancing spread all over the Great Hall. Colored lanterns stretched across the space. The aromas from the feast and barrels of mead washed over the young couple at the center of the celebration. The pair shared secret smiles, their fingers intertwined below the tabletop as they watched the festivities while taking a rest from dancing and mingling for the past hour.

Astrid let go of Hiccup's hand and pulled her new fur hood and arm wraps closer to her. She fingered the fine leather and stroked the soft fur. "You said these gifts were ceremonial, traditional," she softly accused.

Hiccup smiled gently, his gaze soft and full of love. "They are," he agreed, "and it is," he added, gesturing to the winter wraps. "Most men gift their wives-to-be with clothes to symbolize that he will provide for her. These are clothes."

Astrid rolled her eyes to look at him. "Most men give their wives-to-be a simple woolen shawl that they bought that same afternoon from the vendor in the square. These are custom-made from some of the finest furs available on Berk, and not just one article of clothing, but three."

"Actually, those furs are from Dragon's Edge. Toothless and I did some hunting a few months ago. I did the project from start to finish. I was supposed to be making the statement that I can provide for your needs. It hardly seemed like really providing if I just bought a shawl from the Kerrs," he argued tracing a seam on the hood.

"It's still not just any old gift," she insisted.

Hiccup chuckled and blushed. "I wanted to make sure you were warm, even when I'm not able to hold you and keep you that way."

Astrid laughed and shook her head. "You're so sappy sometimes."

Hiccup pulled out his new dagger that was perfectly sized to slip into the small space on his own new black leather arm bracers. "Says the woman who instead of a cooking pot, gifts me with a knife to – and I quote – 'keep me safe when she can't.'" He had intended to make one but had been so busy with the gifts for the Riders and Astrid, that he hadn't had time. He had mentioned it to Astrid when she questioned why he had a tiny sheath with no weapon.

She snuggled into his side. "It's not my fault if your romantic notions are rubbing off on me," she responded, smiling and closing her eyes. She hummed as he put his arm around her waist and pulled her closer.

Hiccup nuzzled her hair. "Warm?" he asked so quiet that only she could hear.

She curled her fingers around his elbow. "Better than the furs, babe."

He closed his eyes and held her close, letting the feel of her in his arms and sounds and smells of home and the party – their party – soak into him like a balm to his soul. "My pleasure, milady."

HTTYD RTTE HTTYD RTTE HTTYD RTTE

Disclaimer: I own nothing, just borrow from time to time.

A/N: Thank you for reading this monster that was only supposed to be 10,000 words, then 15,000, then 20,000, and now over 23,000. I hope you have enjoyed it. It was a challenge to write, and a lot of creative license was used. I did very little research for this fic, so, please, don't start quoting me on history papers. I just really wanted to do something with the development of "traitor" Johann, and this is what came of it. Thanks, again. :)


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